A Wounded One
by Darkraven Haven
Summary: What happens when Hermione Granger has to walk a day in the life of Severus Snape, because Snape is no longer there because he had to kill Dumbledore? All Hell Breaks Lose. This Story is Complete.
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE

THE TEST

Hermione knew that once the war was over, it was a very real possibility these marks would not fade. They would remain and might even be a means for the Dark Lord to return. She knew that Draco had failed to kill Dumbledore. She knew that Snape had killed him. She knew that both would pay dearly if they had indeed returned to the Dark Lord. She had to find more research material on these damned Dark Marks.

"Hermione?" The soft voice came from her side. She blinked from her book and looked up to the face of one very concerned Harry. "Hermione, you need to come eat."

"I'm fine," she said blandly.

"Hermione please," he said offering her a hand away from her book. "You need to eat."

"I don't want to go to the Great Hall," she said.

"All right, let us see if Dobby can get you something." His voiced was laced in pity. God she hated that. She hated the pity. She hated the stares and the whispers, and the blatant jabs at her from the Slytherin. Her normally strongly squared shoulders slumped slightly, and she took his hand. Lifting her from her seat, Harry offered his arm like a true gentleman.

"I need more information than what this library offers," she sighed. "There won't be anything here that I need." She looked to his face. "Do you think there may be something at Grimmald Place?"

"It's possible. I haven't much ventured into that library," Harry said with a shrug. Obviously he didn't want to talk about it. As usual, he was not interested in her research. He was not understanding of her need to obsessively work at this. He didn't care about what happened after. He was only worried about what happened now. But that was always Harry's way. He thought in the here and now, not in the future like she did.

Grappling with her bag over his shoulder he led her down to the kitchen. As they sat, Dobby made his appearance looking rather dapper in his little pants and shirt. She had learned that Dobby was indeed the anomaly of the race of house elves. It took Professor Flitwick to prove it to her that she was in the wrong to base all things on one example. She had formed S.P.E.W. based solely on what she knew of Dobby. So instead she just helped Dobby relish in his freedom buying him clothing from children's stores.

"How is Ron?" she whispered as Dobby presented a tray of food fit for five people to her.

"He's okay. He's trying to convince Lavender not to go to the ball as a fairy princess again this year," Harry said with a shrug. "Really Hermione, why don't you talk to him yourself?"

"He doesn't talk to me. He looks at me with that "poor Hermione" look and finds a reason to get away from me," she said quietly.

"He will come around Hermione," he said quietly. The kitchen echoed so badly you almost had to talk quietly. "He just doesn't know how to deal with it."

"You would think I had the Dark Mark or something the way he treats me," she said softly picking up a piece of melon from the tray. "At least Fred and George still talk to me, and Ginny. I think I would go absolutely bonkers if they stopped talking to me. Even Mrs. Weasley treats me differently now, but Mr. Weasley doesn't. He's the one person who doesn't treat me differently."

"They just have trouble with what happened. They feel to blame," he said quietly. "I had to realize there was nothing I could have done to prevent what happened. Once I did, I could look at you just like I did last year. Mr. Weasley helped a lot with that. But with Ron it's different Hermione."

"Yeah, it's always different when it comes to Ron," she sighed and ate a bit more off of the tray. Harry just watched as his friend sunk yet another step lower into the sadness. The whole school knew what happened. And Hermione was treated with mixed regards to it. She spent much of her time alone rather than dealing with the sneers, giggles and other pains that Slytherin would throw her way, or the pity parties that would be thrown her way by the Gryffindors. She never spent time in the common room anymore. She even turned down the Head Girl position because she would have to work with Blaise Zabini.

"I think you should start being out and about more," Harry said with confidence.

"Why? So I can get gawked at a little more or hexed by those stupid Slytherin? No thanks," she said with a shrug. She sighed when she saw the hurt look in Harry's eyes. "Harry, I know you are trying to stick out an olive branch here, but you aren't the one who did anything wrong. I have to come to terms with it. Not anyone else. My work helps me do that."

The loud clang of a cauldron hitting the floor had Hermione out of her seat and wand drawn. Harry watched her wand tremble slightly before she settled her nerves, then herself back into her chair.

"Still very jumpy," he said. "You are at Hogwarts. You need to calm down Hermione."

She sighed and picked up a piece of toast. The rest of the meal they shared in silence. Awkwardly they both thought about things to come, things going on, things that could not be avoided.

"Hey, are you going to Hogsmeade this weekend?" he said a bit more chipper.

"Sure," she said shrugging.

"Alright! I got to get to practice. Big game this week you know," he said with a wink.

"Won't be as much competition without Mal..." she stopped. She shuddered violently and just waved it off. "The Slytherin team isn't what it used to be."

"Yeah, but it will still be nice to kick their butts," Harry said ever chipper about the damnable game.

"All right, all right," she chuckled a little, letting a grin adorn her lips. "Go on, I'm going to go to the Astronomy Tower for a while."

"See you later?" he asked.

"Yes, have Ginny come get me. I won't go to the common room," she stated plainly. "I can't stand the pity parties and the "Oh! How do you live with it!" and all that."

"No worries, we'll go over to my room," he said with a wink. "I have to go, can't be late you know."

She laughed as he ran for the door in a flurry of robes. He could be late for Potions, Transfiguration and lunch but never, ever for practice. Finishing what she could eat off of the huge tray of food she hauled her book bag up onto her shoulder.

"Thank you Dobby!" she called out to the kitchen before heading out of the portrait. Her walk down the halls was always the same. Hushed whispers, pointing fingers, a chuckle or two echoed all around her. If she wasn't sure that the sneers were always really happening, she thought she would be insane with paranoia. Instead, she put them on ignore and never paid them any mind. She wasn't wallowing in her own misery like they wish she were. She was better than this. They didn't know what they were talking about, and they never would. They could all just assume and that was fine with her.

She climbed the stairs to the Astronomy Tower. It was still daylight, and there was no Astronomy class tonight. There never was on a cloudy night. She didn't have to worry about anybody bothering her except perhaps a few snogging couples that would find somewhere else to be when they saw her there. They always did. Seating on the floor of the roof, the wind caught her slightly bushy hair, blowing it in her face and eyes.

She pulled a hair elastic out and pulled all her hair away from her face. Twisting it up into a bundle on her head before securing it with the elastic. She traced the long scar that ran from behind her ear down to below her collar of her shirt with the tip of her finger. With a sigh of remembrance, she pulled one of the many books from her bag and got down to work.

As darkness settled in, she set up the Windless Candles to give her enough light to keep her work going. She had finished her homework hours ago, as usual. Now she worked feverishly on the theories she had been working on now since she got back to school. The wind picked up, a chill coming with it and she shivered slightly.

"I thought you would be up here," the dark voice came. "And here I thought you were know better than to be alone."

Her wand was in her hand pointing to the voice with narrowed eyes, anger seething from every pore. He had abandoned them before, but she knew he was no voluntary killer.

"Don't talk to me, go away," she said firmly. "I warn you, I am not above sending you to meet your maker today."

"Threats? My girl, I would have thought you smarter than that too," he replied. The silk in his voice was enough to send chills down her spine.

"What are you doing here!" the shrill in her voice let known she was serious. Scared, powerful and serious. What a wondrous combination, almost intoxicating really.

"I do not have my wand Miss Granger."

"I do not care!" she said angrily.

"Keep your voice down you silly girl," he said firmly.

"You cannot possibly think that I would trust anything you have to say," she spat.

"No, I do not," he replied with a wanton wave of the hand like she was nothing more than a beggar asking for a donation. "But I do know that I have spent years doing exactly what you are trying to."

"And what precisely am I trying to do?" she said incredulously.

"Why do you believe our Dark Lord let you live?" he said approaching her quickly, the intimidation in his stance was so evident.

With a swish and a flick of the wand she cast the binding spell. But nothing happened. She moved back from his approaching form. Another binding spell and again no result. Then he was upon her, her wand hand locked in his hand.

"Try something with a bit more flair girl," he jeered at her. That snarky grin on his lips like he had just taken 50 points away from Gryffindor. "You hate me enough. You know the curse. Do it!"

"CRUCIO!" she screamed at him. Again, nothing. He released her arm and stepped back away from her.

"I am not here Hermione. You cannot harm what is not here," he said as if she was the most stupid thing to walk the earth.

"You are a dream?" she sputtered.

"10 points to Gryffindor," he bemused with that smirk firmly in place. "Why did he let you live Miss Granger?"

"To live in shame I guess," she shrugged. "It doesn't matter why."

"Yes it does!" he snarled. "He had you in his grasps, he had you bleeding beneath him! You are a muggle born witch and are the proof against everything he preaches! Why did he let you live?" The silk combined with his intimidation bereft her of the power of speech as she contemplated again, for the 100th time why she was still drawing breath.

"I don't know!" she exclaimed.

"Very well," he said turning to walk away.

"If you know, why do you not tell me?" she said again, tucking her wand into her sleeve and moving forward to his retreating form.

"Because you are useful," he said sternly. "Because you will serve another purpose later. Because you now fear him and you will freeze up when the time comes and it will cost you the lives of your friends, your precious Potter and Weasley. That is WHY!" He barked in her face spinning on her. "Because that way he did not kill them. Your inability to act because of your fear did. You would be even more discredited than being a Mudblood does for you already! And Thusly You Are Truly Pathetic." He sneered with a grin.

Hermione took in everything he was saying. It did make sense. Discrediting her rather than making her martyr. She raised an eyebrow in the disgust of it all.

"If I am dreaming there in nothing you can do to me!" she spat.

"Who said youare the onedreaming? I said I was safe in bed," he squared his shoulders once again. "You my precious little witch are perfectly awake."

"I am not your 'precious little witch'!" she snarled. "Do not dare to presume..."

"Presume?" he said silkily

"I've given you more than enough clues Gryffendor," he said. "Now then, Get into bed If I wanted you dead, I would have done it long ago. Remember that." He leaned his back against the cold stone, crossing his arms over one another across his chest. His onyx gaze bore into her eyes like cold daggers into a freshly cooked pig.

She turned her eyes from his onyx gaze to the vial sitting atop the stone battlement. Then slowly she turned her gaze back to him.

"No," she said firmly. Her wand lifted again. The cogs in her mind were turning, grinding out the answers.

"I've given you enough clues," he replied again. "Silly Gryffindor."

"I may be silly, but I'm not stupid. You are here, " she grinned. "You couldn't get into my dreams and make me think you were here if you were not real."

"Ten points to Gryffindor," he drawled with a mocking look in his eyes. "So your spells do not work, am I here and a liar, or not here and sayings of the truth. I've given you enough hints, now take yourself to bed."

She gathered her books, looking down to one of the pages briefly. She slammed the book shut. Realization was clear and evident in her eyes. "You are not the one asleep," she laughed. "A very valiant effort. I must applaud your Legilimens, Snape. I am the one asleep, not you. Which means you are nearby, within a mile of me. But even more so, you know where I am which means you are probably observing my sleeping form right here on the Astronomy Tower, you cannot get any further into my head unless I lower my Occlumens, which is why you are trying to goad me into going to sleep in my own dream!" she grinned at her mental prowess at figuring out his little puzzle.

"And how do you figure you are asleep?" he purred, his eyes watching over her form.

"Two reasons," she grinned her wand still at the ready. If it were her dream, she would be controlling the shots now. Her spells would work if she needed them to. "First, my scars are gone. And second, the words in the book are gibberish. The mind cannot read when it is asleep."

"Very stout of you, Miss Granger," he raised an eyebrow in a private bravo.

"So if you will please tell me now why you are here, invading my dreams and probably provoking them," she said with a soft smile. Her eyes were sparkling in the light of the torches and candles of the Tower.

"Draco needs help and I know that if you came to the conclusion on your own you would help. You are a trusting little know-it-all. And I cannot help him now," he said plainly. "He has been injured."

"Where is he?" she said as her eyes became wearier of the man before her. "And why cannot you assist his injuries?"

"Because I too am injured, now awaken Hermione Granger," his voice was a soft command but his eyes were full of contempt. His fists were curled so tightly she was sure that his fingernails were cutting his palms.

She snapped her eyes open, taking in a deep inhale of the night's cold air. Blinking she looked around herself. Pulling her robes tighter around her body she didn't see anyone in her immediate area. She closed the book she had fallen asleep on and stuffed them all in her bag. Putting out the candles she heard a shuffling noise near the door. A slight gurgling sound caught her attention, or was it a wet groan? She lifted herself and her bag and hauled herself over to the noise. Even now the insane dream was already fading away.

"Lumos!" she said as a golden glow encased her wand. She watched something darkly robed hit the wall and slide down it. She moved cautiously and saw it was a figure of a man.

"Professor Snape?" she questioned moving a little closer. Something white was flicked out of the man's hand, waving slightly like a white flag before being held up to this man's face by his hand. The black onyx orbs caught her attention.

"Professor!" She moved quickly to his side. A side of the handkerchief he had pressed to his face was soaked in a dark fluid. Her wand did not emanate enough light for her to see anything here. "I've got to get you out of here!" There was sheer, unadulterated panic in her voice. An emotion that was a rarity for Hermione Granger, was panic, indeed.

He proffered the handkerchief toward her, she looked into his cold eyes and reached up to it. She realized a moment too late why she was told to never grab anything from someone when she felt the incessant pull from her navel.


	2. Chapter 2

The Wounded

Chapter Two

Chastised and Redeemed

She felt herself settling back into reality and realized she didn't know where she was. She leaned down and tucked her head under Severus Snape's arm.

"Come on Professor," she said as she pushed upward holding firmly to his wrist to assist him to his own feet. Snape stood, stumbling slightly on his first steps as he tried to not lean on the girl under his arm. Having no choice but to at least use her for balance, she felt him lean in slightly as he guided her through the run down and rampantly weed ridden garden. Passing around a rather large hedge in desperate need of trimming she saw the small house beyond. She walked at the pace he set. He was limping profusely. He had to have had a hell of a time getting up to the Astronomy Tower.

They reached the door, it was nothing more than a simple muggle door. Nothing in this area said that they were anywhere in the wizarding world at all. In the distance she could hear the sound of waves crashing against the seashore angrily. The storm that was coming in was sure to make those waves even angrier before the night was out. She reached out and opened the door, getting behind the professor to assist him inside. She guided him with a firm hand between his shoulder blades and another around his waist. He was indeed much taller than she was, and this was no easy task. She could feel her legs burning and her back muscles getting upset under the strain.

"_Lumos_..." the gruff yet wet voice coughed and the candles in the house lit up. He grasped onto the table near the door and Hermione took it as her cue to let him go. She moved around to stand before the professor that had spent years tormenting her and her house. She suddenly started wondering what she had done, why had she come. Or better yet, why hadn't he taken Draco to Madam Pomfrey. Even if he hadn't come back for his 7th year, she would not have turned him away.

The moan that filled the halls of the house was horrifying. Hermione jumped and her wand was out again. Her eyes darted about trying to pinpoint the location of the heartwrenching sound.

"Was that..." she started.

"Draco," he finished. "Go, he's up the hall second door on left..." he panted. His voice still sounded wet and full of illness. She turned and looked back at the Professor, eyes darting over his form worriedly. "I'm in no danger of dying. He is. Go," he said without a stone of command left in his voice. Hermione nodded, and turned heading down the hallway. Another wail left her bereft of breath as her heart palpitated in her chest. She knew Draco could be a crybaby, but these wails seemed so genuine, so heartwrenching, so agonized. She found the door, and reached for the knob.

As the door slid open, she could see this room was extremely well lit. Muggle first aid supplies lie all around the room. Haphazzard and dishleveled, but they were here in no particular organization. The bed on the far end of the room she could see a figure under the heavy blankets. Her heart stopped in her chest as she saw the bleach blonde white hair splayed over the pillow at the top of the pile of blankets. She dropped her bookbag and moved rapidly to the side of the bed.

Looking down at the face of a frantic Draco Malfoy, he was ghostly pale if that was even possible. His skin was pasty, and sallow at the same time. His eyes were wide looking up at her. He winced looking at her, his eyes turning away before another apparent wave of pain shot through his body causing him to arch up like he had been hit with electricity.

"I have to take the blankets off Draco," she said firmly. She swallowed hard as she drew her wand. "I have to see what is wrong." She grabbed the bottom-most blanket and pulled it back. The boy in the bed instantly began shivering and trembling. Another wail of agonized pain filled the room. Slowly Hermione forced herself to look at his form. Bandages wrapped him in some form or another over every appendage. Both hands were wrapped in gauze, the smell below the blankets was putrid and the smell of almonds assaulted her nose.

"These are all infected Draco," she said slowly sitting on the side of the bed. "Shhh..." The heat of the blankets was probably aiding in the growth of the infection. She just prayed that she got here before the infection became so bad that body parts had to be removed. Slowly she began unwrapping the bandages, starting at his feet and moving her way up his naked form. She was in auto pilot, and embarassment would have to be dealt with later. Apparently Snape's condition was so bad that he couldn't even brew up a potion for the infection or his fever.

Once he was completely unbandaged, she could see that most of his wounds were septic. They did not bleed anymore and the flesh inside the wounds was a sickly green color. The infection was killing the tissue causing the terrible smell. Her mind went into overdrive. _Foul smell, greenish coloring to the wounds, septic. Also red and hot to the touch, red lines ascending, possible blood poisoning. Shape of wounds, claws. Check him over for bites. Okay, no bites. Good. If a werewolf did this, than he'll not become one. Good. Very good. First step, get antibiotics or immunity spells working. Right.._

_"Nettoyant Sang_!" she said flicking her wand then lining it between his feet and carrying it up his body. The effect was almost immediate, he began panting and then violently rolled over and vomit all over the floor. The foul smell of his vomit told her the spell was working. She pulled his hair back and just let him wretch. The more of it got out this way, the less he would have to fight off on his own. His heaves were causing him a great deal of additional pain. But one thing at a time. Right now pain was good. It meant his body was still fighting.

What seemed like an eternity to probably both of them came to an end as Draco slowly moved to roll back onto his back, aware enough of his body to cover his genitals with his hands as he looked to Hermione. His stormy gray eyes seemed to be both pleading and disgusted all at once. It would never amaze her more how revealing the Malfoy eyes could be.

"Would you like to rinse out your mouth?" she said softly. He didn't speak, he just nodded once. Hermione got up and found a cup and filled it with water from the tap. Bringing it back she assisted him to roll back over to where he had wretched and helped him sip the water. Not daring to drink it, Draco slipped it through his cheeks and spat it out onto the floor. Slowly she rolled him back onto his back, a hiss escaped him as he lied upon wounds.

"Draco, I'm going to get rid of these wounds. Is there anything about them I need to know?" she said looking into his eyes once again.

"We...werewolf..." he choked out. "Kill me."

"I will do no such thing Draco Malfoy," she said sternly. "You will not have significant scarring, and the pain will be gone momentarily. When it goes I want you to sleep. Do you hear me?" He did not reply. His eyes tore away from hers and stared at the ceiling again. Either he didn't believe her or he was just too damned proud to take her help.

"_Nulificus Totalis_," she hit him with the spell and she could tell by how his muscles relaxed that he was no longer feeling pain. His eyes closed almost instantly as his breathing evened out. She knew the exhaustion he was having was not helping him heal or fight the infections.

She moved to the pile of clothes that were dropped unceremoniously at the end of the bed. Transfiguring one of the ripped shirts into a pair of boxers she carefully covered his nude form, dressing him so he would no longer at least have to show his nude form to the Mudblood. It was while she was pulling up the boxers she noticed the tearing and redness around his anus and she almost lost her lunch. If she hadn't eaten so long ago she was sure she would be adding to the pool of vomit already adorning the side of the bed.

No wonder he wanted her to kill him. He had been raped. She suddenly felt so stupid for telling him he wouldn't have much scarring. His emotional scars would be astronomical. Well, with him sleeping, at least she could tend the wounds without causing him too much pain. The blood cleaning spell was working wonders, but making a vile mess of the bed. The dead tissue and toxins were coming out of the wounds now. The Nettoyant Sang spell was a powerful one, and was only used in extreme cases. She believed this to be extreme enough.

Numerous cleaning spells later they all started bleeding and Hermione was overwhelmed again to frantically stop them. Normally if he had been in St. Mungo's there would be a whole team of mediwitches tending to his wounds. But Draco slept on.

She wrapped all the ones that wrapping would fix for now. Then quickly she nabbed her wand once again. Pressing it to her chest she uttered the words of her next spell.

"Manus Curatio!" The wand lit up in a brilliant blue that traveled down her arms into her hands. Sticking her wand into her hair she set about her next task. Closing up as many of these wounds as possible, especially the ones that would be the most visible or the most damaging. Her fingers pulled together the sides of the long gashes, pinching them together between her thumb and forefinger as she used her index finger on her casting hand to close the bleeding wound. Any witch or wizard could only cast the Curatio spell twice in a given day. She had to work fast to get as many as she could before the spells wore off.

Hermione closed all the uncovered wounds, forcing the flesh to meld back together again. His skin complied with ease. Hermione made note of that. If he truly had wished to die, the spell would not have worked so well. Once he was in no further danger, she cleaned him and the bed one more time before covering him with a thin blanket that she warmed with a charm. He seemed to settle even deeper into sleep at that point.

She cast one more alarm charm, to let her know when Draco awakened and took a moment to clean up the vomit on the side of the bed manually. Vomit was one thing that really didn't bother her. She made a mental joke about how much Harry would be adorning the crap on the floor too if he had been here. Harry never could handle bodily fluids other than his own.

She checked Draco's temperature once more, much lower and very close to normal. With a sigh of relief, and quite a bit of harrowed nerves unbundling in her stomach she set to her next task. Snape. The alarm spell would alert her when Draco awakened so that she could go deal with him before he did something tremendously stupid like get out of bed.

Hermione walked from the bedroom after taking a thorough shower. She had to scrub away all that infection before going to deal with Snape. She didn't know if the Staff infection could be passed to anything Snape had, she hadn't a chance to check him over previously. Going to the dresser in Draco's bedroom she found it full of his clothing. Sighing, she helped herself to some of his clothes, charming them to fit her since he had a full head height over her. She tied her hair up and stuck her wand through the bun. With a sigh, she headed down the hall to her next task.

She found him asleep in the living room, on the couch. A philter of what appeared to be bourbon on his chest, his hand barely holding onto it. She wasn't foolish enough to try and remove it from his hands. She moved beside him and whispered.

"Professor," she said softly. "Please wake up." The sudden response caught her off guard as those onyx eyes snapped open and stared directly at her. Unseeing at first of who was before him, they seemed glazed. "Professor Snape?" Sweat adorned his brow, and his breathing seemed labored and wheezy. She wanted to make sure he recognized her before she did anything. His hand held tighter to the glass of alcohol on his chest and she knew he was more awake now.

She lifted her hand to his forehead, pressing the back of it to test his body temperature. His sweat was not fever induced. He was still wearing his cloak and he probably passed out almost immediately after getting back.

"Does the fireplace work?" she said in her softest voice. His eyes never let go of looking at her, and she could feel them boring into her flesh with the intensity of his stare.

"Yes, Miss Granger," he said. She wondered if that nasty tone was just naturally part of his demeanor. She reached up and got her wand, flicking a fire into the fireplace.

"The house is damp, the fire will help. Draco is resting, I've done all I can for him tonight," she said softly. Her wet hair was stamping into the back of Draco's shirt making it stick to her back. "Now can you tell me what is wrong with you? Or do I need to check you over?"

"I do not need your help," he said quietly looking into the fire as he sat up on the couch.

"Professor, please do not be stubborn. I need you up to full strength so you can brew some potions for Draco," she said firmly.

"Listen you know it all little prat, Draco will not survive this," he said angrily. "I have to protect him so I am, but I cannot protect him from himself," he snorted.

"No, now you listen to me you little git! If I can survive something like that, he can. And if I have to, I'll put it to him in such a way! Then let's see his competitive nature take over, shall we?" she snorted back, crossing her arms over her chest refusing to look at him.

"For someone so smart, you surely do not know what you are talking about," he said.

"Don't I? Try me," she said dangerously turning her flaming eyes toward the teacher. "You cannot take house points away now, so you had better watch your step here Professor. I have no tolerance for your insults today."

A smirk came across his lips. He would have fun with this. This could be truly interesting. There wasn't any school rules keeping his wit in check, and toying with this annoying girl was something he had been waiting for almost seven years for. The dangerous lioness versus the sly snake. This truly could be interesting.

"Oh and what pain of his do you possibly know?" his voice was almost a purr. "Did your friend the Weasel touch upon something you weren't ready to give? Did the Boy That Lived touch you inappropriately? Oh, what pain that must have been," he chuckled evily and low in his chest.

"No," she said. "Do you really want to know? Or would you be just cruel enough to use that against me too?"

"There is nothing you have been through that I have not experienced child," he snorted.

"You are wrong," she said firmly but refusing to look at him still. Her blood was boiling. Her anger was raging. "You better watch your step here Professor." Her voice remained calm and quiet. Dangerously so. His eyes narrowed at her response. There was something wrong with her response. Normally she would have been angry, she would have been yelling and carrying on like a child. No, something was dangerously wrong. He could see the anger behind her eyes staring into the fire. But it was a private anger. It was something akin to not wanting to share. It was dark, and clouded her eyes. As a spy these are things you learn to read.

"What happened to you Granger?" he said. His voice was not calming or soothing. But it wasn't demanding either. He set down his glass, and turned to look at the slip of a girl before him.

"I refuse to speak of it," she said dismissively waving her hand at him.

"There are other ways," he said.

"It's nothing I'm sure you haven't seen before," she said coldly. "I'm unconcerned if you know or not. There is nothing you can do with the information to harm me anymore than I already have."

He moved off of the couch, onto his knees next to the girl on the floor, staring at the fire.

"Look at me Granger," he said firmly. Her eyes turned to his. There was no fire behind those eyes. They were cold and unfeeling. Whatever memories she was sheltering there were robbing her of the emotions that would normally be tied to them. Anger was his way of dealing with similar memories, but she was not angry at the memories. She seemed angrier with him.

He pulled his wand and looked at her expectantly. She noticed his fingers did not curl around it the way they should. He seemed to be having a hard time holding it at all.

"You will not like what you see," she said with a smirk to rival his own. "But please, if you are into that kind of pain don't let me stop you." Her sardonic nature took him by surprise. Was she always like this? Was she always so darkened? No, she had more fire to her before. He remembered when she was indignant about losing house points when Slytherin did not. That fire alone was more than what he saw now.

With a nod to her statement, he pressed the tip of his wand to her temple. Visions filled before his eyes. _Tending to Draco_, no, back further. _Dealing with students looking upon her as if she were scum or a tragedy_. No, further back. _The hospital wing, pain, a lot of pain. Not being allowed to see in a mirror._ No further back. _The snakelike face, the tongue of a snake touching everywhere, biting, leaving bruising marks, wrists bleeding, ankles bleeding, the knife, the black knife. _No, further back. _Hearing the word stupefy inside the Three Broomsticks. Awakening in the circle of hooded cloaks, all that could be made out through the white covering on her head._

They were told it was a muggle. They were told it was nothing more than a stupid muggle that had transgressed on the Dark Lord's profits. When all was done, Narcissa was demanded to bathe her and clean her up. Fenrir Greyback was not allowed to play with the girl. The other males and even Bellatrix had taken their turns.

_He saw her bath. It was nothing more than a dunk in the freezing cold river that was nearby with a few cleansing and healing charms to make sure she didn't die. Then she was brought before the Dark Lord. All were dismissed save for one. And the Dark Lord had his way cutting her, taunting her with jeers about her heritage, and listening to her screams. Her eyes were wild around the room, anywhere but to look at him. She locked onto the other man that had not been dismissed from the room with her. His grey stormy eyes shown through the mask he wore. His posture was strong, shoulders squared firmly._ It was Lucius, and Severus knew that.

_"Tell me, and you will live," he slithered in her head. "Tell me is Severus Snape at Hogwarts. Tell me, and you will live."_

_"Kill me now!" she screamed, lifting her head and biting onto his cheek hard enough to draw blood._

_"Tell me child, your antics will not provoke me," he slipped that tongue against her ear._

_"I said, Kill Me Now!" she shouted loudly into his ear. "I will never tell you anything!"_

_"Severus Snape doesn't care about you," he said softly, almost with a form of tenderness._

_"Neither do you," she snarled angrily._

_"But I could Hermione," he said caressing her cheek. "I could make this all stop, you will be so cherished. Your mind put to such wonderful uses."_

_"And my body, Sod Off!" she tried to pull her knee up to hit the Lord where it could possibly count most only to have it grabbed firmly by the other Death Eater. The Dark Lord removed the black knife from it's sheath at his side, starting at just below the jugular, he cut into her flesh. She panted but did not cry out. The cut continued down her chest, deep into her breast, then lower to her navel. Blood smeared all over her body. "SOD OFF!" She screamed with a tinge of pain in the voice. _

_"Oh I dare say you will come to me on your own before this is over," he said softly. "I can see your feelings Hermione. None of them love you. They use you. All of them. Even I am using you right now. And there is little to nothing you will ever be able to do about that. Now tell me again, is Severus Snape at Hogwarts?"_

_"Sod Off," she said again. It was easy enough to pant out without giving away too much. _

_"You belong to me Hermione Granger," he slithered his tongue along her blood. Diving the sharp-ended prong into the wound making her wince and try to curl up. But her binds and the Death Eater holding her ankles would not allow for it. _

_The Dark Lord drew his wand. Standing off of the girl's body he looked to his accomplice. "Flip her over."_

_The stormy eyed one, turned her body over forcing her arms to cross over one another in the shackles she bore. She could see her arms now, covered in her own blood that had run down from the manacles that were too tight around her wrists. A searing pain hit her in the lower spine. Burning her from the inside out. She screamed, finally, she screamed and the world went dark._

_He tried to move further back in her memories and found himself firmly shoved out of her head, the white wall coming around herself in a firm Occlumency. _

He pulled his wand from her temple and sat back.

"Why didn't you tell him I wasn't there," he inquired. "Why did you hide the fact that I wasn't at Hogwarts?"

"If I had said no, you were not there, he would have intensified the hunt on you. He would have expected me to tell him if you were not. So by refusing altogether, I successfully convinced him you were there," she said turning her face back to the fire. "I had heard a couple of the Death Eaters saying they had no way into Hogwarts now that Draco was gone. So it was best he believed you were there."

He sat quietly contemplating her words. She was being protective of him and Draco? Why? Surely it was not because Draco meant anything to her. To serve his purpose as the double agent for the Order? No, he needed more information. There was not enough information here to draw a satisfactory conclusion.

"I think you misunderstood the question. Why were you protecting me?" he said firmly.

"Someone had to get inside now that you could no longer do it," she said closing her eyes. "I had the most to offer other than Potter himself."

"WHAT!" He jumped back from her like she was a white hot fire. Her head turned slowly to him.

"Did I stutter?" she said with a quirky smirk.

"You? You! Of all people! YOU?" his eyes were wide, dangerous and worried.

"Don't worry, he doesn't know I'm here," she said firmly. "He has no way to track me."

Severus jumped over to her side, anger seething from every pore as he pulled her sleeve back from her arm. Nothing, pale cream skin. He yanked at the other sleeve. Nothing. Easiness set in and he pulled back.

"He didn't mark you," he said quietly.

"Of course he did. Just not with that dark curse," she said softly. "He marked me in scars." She turned and lifted the back of her shirt. Carved into the skin were the dark mark, but not the curse. It would not summon her as Severus' mark did.

"He didn't want his dark curse weakening me," she said lowering the shirt. "I'm not exactly a prime candidate for him. I am after all, muggle born."

Severus looked at the scars and turned his head away. So he had been replaced. The hunt for his head was confirmed.

"I need to take you back," he said firmly.

"No, Draco still needs tending and so do you," she said coldly. "I will finish that, and then I will leave. Once that is done, I will remove the memory of ever seeing you and destroy that memory."

She knew how to do that? Of course she did. He sighed. She was right. Draco did still need tending. Probably this girl could assist him more than he could. Right now he needed a tender hand. Not a firm one like his. With a deep breath, he let out the tension.

"I'm going to get food," she said quietly. "Draco needs to eat, and apparently so do you. I'll make a meal for the both of you then I want you both to rest. I'll get you a potion for your pneumonia but it will require you to sleep for it to work, but you knew that already. I'll stand guard until you wake."

With that, she rose. "I'm borrowing your cloak. Mine is dirty." She wrapped her arms around Severus and undid the clasps to his heavy cloak removing it slowly from his form. He adjusted as she removed it and wrapped it around herself. "Draco should sleep a few more hours. I suggest you do the same," she said stepping from the house.


	3. Chapter 3

The Wounded

Chapter Three

Redeemed and Prosperous

Snape awoke, the smell of food filling his nostrils. He sat up sharply and looked about himself. He was in the same place he had fallen asleep. A coughing fit erupted from his chest, spewing pain into every recess of his lungs. He felt like a hollow log filling with a thick fluid. The wounds on his neck and chest were healed. He was wearing no shirt, and his robe and shirt were folded neatly beside him.

He sighed. She must have picked them up while she was out. Once the coughing had subsided, he saw the potion bottle sitting on the coffee table before him with a bottle of Ogden's Fire Whiskey next to it. The cap was off of the whiskey and as he went to reach for it, he saw why. His fingers were all splinted. Each one carefully taped, and braced. He marveled at the work on his hands, and then stood up to go to the kitchen.

He saw her there, cooking on the muggle stove. The smell was coming from what she was cooking in the pot she was stirring. He saw her stiffen; she must have realized he was there. He felt a tickling on his mind, and her body relaxed. She placed the lid on the pot of stew and turned to face him.

"Do you need help with the potion bottle?" she said quietly. "It cannot be..."

"Yes, yes. It cannot be uncorked until it is about to be used. I know," he sighed. "How long have I been asleep?"

"Three days," she said stiffly. Shock caught his face, and then he removed it with a sneer.

"It's not polite to feed potions to an unsuspecting person Hermione Granger," he said with a dark smirk.

"You wanted use of your broken fingers, I'm sure. Thusly, I had no choice Professor. Unless of course, you wanted to be awake while I rebroke each one and set it again," she said with a chipper smile that was so sickeningly fake. "I'll take the splints off today before you eat. Now do you need help with the bottle or not? This is the last of the pneumonia medicine. It should be gone today. You are just evacuating your lungs now," she said turning to the cabinet and getting some bowls down.

"How is Draco?" he asked, a hint of worry in his voice.

"Doing rather well. He isn't talking much yet, but he will be eating in the kitchen tonight," she said quietly. She walked past him and retrieved the bottle of potion. "Potion first or unwrapping first?"

"Unwrapping." He stated in a matter of fact tone of voice. Not having use of his hands must have been extremely taxing. She didn't know the details of what had happened to him, but she knew that whoever had attacked him and Draco made sure that the potions professor would be able to do nothing for Draco's wounds in any sort of magical way. Torturous for the professor it must have been to try and wrap all of those wounds without the ability to put medicines on them. It was meant for him to just watch Draco die a slow death to blood poisoning.

She pulled out a chair at the kitchen table. Signaling with a bit of flair for him to sit. With a sigh, he so despised needing her assistance he moved himself to the seat. Resting his elbows on the table. Hermione went to her bag and pulled out a jar, then sat near the professor. She carefully undid the tape on each finger, and then removed the gauze and the metal splints.

"Don't move your fingers yet," she said cautiously as she opened the jar taking a heavy amount of the cream from within the jar into her fingers before massaging it into each of his hands. Her fingers dug into the flesh of his hands. Making sure that ever inch of his fingers, the knuckles, the back and the front of his hands were thoroughly massaged.

"I think you missed your calling, Miss Granger," he said with a smirk.

"Yeah, the Dark Lord says that too," she said frowning as she finished with his hands. "Okay, cautiously, and if any of them give you pain other than stiffness you need to stop."

"Yes mother dearest," he snarled as he started curling his fingers slowly. They popped and crackled from lack of use, but indeed there was not a lot of pain. Stiffness was being worked out by whatever the blue salve was she had used. It also made his hands extremely warm, which helped ease out the stiffness.

When he looked up, she was not sitting across from him any longer. She was dishing out bowls of the stew from the pot on the stove. It smelled delicious, and he had to say he was indeed pretty hungry. He stood and delivered himself to the fate of the potion that would release the rest of the mucus from his lungs and finally allow him to breathe again with ease. Uncorking the bottle, he took it back with ease. Ease of too many years working with the stuff allowed him. His stomach was none too pleased that it was another potion and not food adorning it as it twisted and flipped in his belly.

Taking in a few deep breaths to relax his unsettled stomach, he felt the potion begin its work. His lungs able to take in deeper and deeper breaths with ease until the tickle at the back of his throat was felt. He moved himself into the bathroom to evacuate the rest of his lungs.

Draco awoke in a cool sweat. He truly wished for some Dreamless Sleep potion. He had not slept well over the past four days, but at least his stomach was giving him a rest and his muscles were willing to function again without causing him too much pain. He found himself over the past two days able to do more and more on his own. Yesterday he had showered on his own. That was a great comfort all on it's own. The fact he had to take help from Granger was bad enough, but the first days when she had to bathe him was the absolute worst. The absolute second most humiliating thing in his life. But again, decidedly better than the first most degrading thing in his life.

There was a knock on the door and he saw the bushy haired freak open the door and look in.

"Draco, I set out clothes for you. Dinner is almost ready," she said without questioning.

Since when did that happen? Since when did Know It All Granger not ask a thousand questions about nothing in particular? He sighed and gave her a sharp nod. And as if she knew the cue, she closed the door and he heard her walk down the hall away from here.

He pulled himself out of the bed slowly. His muscles groaned and strained for him to remain still. But this stiffness would only go away with motion, and a hot shower. Trudging his way into the bathroom he turned on the shower and was able to climb in enjoy the hot water caressing his sore muscles.

His mind traveled back to the past couple of days, trying to pinpoint what was so wrong with Granger. She had been practically submissive. She assisted him in getting in and out of baths full of potions, undressing and dressing him the first and second day. The third he was able to do it himself. She cleaned his bed, brought him food. Even fed him. It was completely embarrassing to be at the whim of the Mudblood, but he needed to eat after all. She spoke only to tell him how he was doing, what he needed to do to tend to himself, and to give him updates on Snape. This was the first time he was venturing out of his room in over two weeks.

Yesterday he found her asleep in the chair beside his bed. A book in her lap. The orange cat she had as a familiar curled up on the end of his bed, very awake and very alert. He had the feeling that if something came that damned cat would have woke up the whole house. It was her soft whimpering that had awoken him. He didn't say anything, or move to wake her, he just listened as her dreams played out behind her shifting eyes under her eyelids.

When she woke with a start, she had found him staring at her. He didn't care what she thought of it. And apparently neither did she, she just made her way to the bathroom, then back out to get him some tea and another bought of healing potions. She apologized for not bringing Dreamless Sleep potions with her, but she could only take what McGonnagall would let her have. Obviously his nightmares were showing outwardly if she needed to say that.

He pulled himself from the shower after cleaning up and washing his hair. He dressed slowly, it still hurt to bend over, but he could do it. It took some time, but he got himself put together. Unable to raise his arms above his shoulders was a pain. His long wet hair just dripped down his shirt. He picked up his towel and carefully walked from the room. He had to take it slowly, if he didn't he still got dizzy and lightheaded. Granger said it was from blood loss, and she had given him all of her blood replacement potions she had. The rest he would have to make up on his own.

The smell of the stew caught his nose once he entered the hallway. Slowly he entered the kitchen and looked to see the table set with three settings and felt relief that his friend and mentor would be joining them this evening for their meal. He could hear him coughing in the kitchen's bathroom. He had known he was sick, but that wet cough sounded positively horrid. Granger came in with an empty potion bottle and threw it away before setting a bottle of Fire Whiskey at one of the settings along with a glass. Hot tea sat at the other two settings. Candles on the table lit the room with a warm light.

Granger picked up his towel off of his arm, and pulled out his chair for him.

"Well aren't our roles reversed?" he mocked.

"Not at all, you would never touch a chair for a Mudblood," she said sternly with a cold flair to her voice. Not the usual firey spark she normally had.

"Alright, who are you and what did you do with the real Mudblood Granger?" he said with a sly smirk.

"I killed her and shaved her head to make enough polyjuice to get me through the rest of my life," she said sardonically. She took the towel and pulled his hair out of his shirt, towelling down his wet hair with firm rubbing strokes that served their purpose to dry his hair but also massaged his scalp. Once finished she tossed the towel onto the empty place setting on the small kitchen table and headed back to the stove. Opening the thick metal door on the front of it, she removed bread from it with a thick glove on her hand. An, an oven, he thought. It was an Odd looking oven, but an oven nonetheless. She moved the croissants onto a plate and set them to the middle of the table on a pretty plate covered in sunflowers.

Snape moved out of the bathroom, flushed and obviously uncomfortable.

"Granger! You could have warned me that was a double strength dosage!" he snarled.

"True, I could have," she said with a shrug. "But you hadn't earned it." She jeered at him. "Now sit and eat, we're waiting for you."

Draco was a bit astounded by the fact that this woman had such manners. Waiting for the eldest man of the house to take his seat and begin eating? Where had a muggle born learned that? Draco's eyebrow rose considerably before she turned her eyes to him, he let her see the smirk forming on his lips before her cold gaze turned back to the now seated professor.

"I learned it from my father, Draco," she said waiting patiently for Snape to start eating.

Snape chuckled, obviously having been prodding himself to know the thoughts of the boy. Picking up his soupspoon he began to eat his stew, and Hermione and Draco joined in the silent affair that would be known as dinner for that eve.

Draco ate almost three bowls of the nourishment, Snape had two. Hermione did not even finish her first, and only ate one of the croissants offered with the meal. Instead preferring her water over the solid foods.

"Is the potion you are using causing you a lack of appetite Miss Granger?" he said smoothly.

"Yes," she said sipping her water again.

"I can brew one for you that will not," he said waving his hand as if it meant nothing for him to do. Hermione sat quietly. As Draco watched the tennis volley between them not understanding the meaning behind what it was they could be talking about.

"Excuse me, what potion?" he looked over at Hermione incredulously.

"That. Is. None. Of. Your. Affair. Malfoy!" she said straitly and with every word punctuated to the tightest of grips of her vocal capability without sounding hysterical. Snape just raised an eyebrow at her.

"It was only a question Miss Granger," he said smoothly. "He meant no offense."

Draco was now even more perplexed than before. What possibly could she need a potion for that would cause her a lack of appetite that also was something she so strongly wished not to speak of with him?

"It might be more beneficial for you to tell the boy," Snape said with a hint of sarcasm belying the fact he was serious.

"And how would that benefit me?" she sighed taking the rest of her bowl to the floor for her cat, who purred running up to it hungrily.

"Well, if he is your only knowledge of those things, you might serve to learn a thing from Draco," he said incredulously. "It might prove beneficial."

"Who said I want anything of that nature from Malfoy?" she snarled.

"Wait, wait," Draco waved his hand about tired of being talked about like he wasn't in the room. "What on earth are the two of you speaking of? Learn what precisely from me?"

"I think what the good Professor, and I use the term _good_ very loosely here, is referring to is the ability to seduce," she said with a cold hearted demeanor that would freeze the room better than a Dementor.

"What!" The shock was overwhelming on his face. "Severus you have to be half out of your gourd! What has she put in your Fire Whiskey? I wouldn't touch that, that... "

"Mudblood," Hermione interjected for him at his stuttering.

Draco shut his mouth. He looked at her in sheer mortified horror of her blatant name of herself, and the fact she called herself it with such ease. He blinked a couple of times and turned back to Snape in sheer confusion.

"It would seem Draco, that I've been replaced," he said dully taking another bite out of the croissant. "These really are magnificent Miss Granger, now I have work to do if you two will excuse me." Hermione just nodded as he excused himself from the table and put his dishes into the sink. Grabbing the Fire Whiskey, he descended into the cellar. Draco sat in horror of the conversation, as if his world had been doing just fine until he decided to eat. He looked at his food as if it were to blame for the whole sordid affair.

"Are you finished?" Hermione said coldly.

"What?" he said blinking and looking up to her now standing form. "Oh. Yes."

She took his dishes and moved to the sink, rinsing them all off.

"What was Professor Snape talking about Granger?" he said turning slowly in his chair to look at her.

"It doesn't matter," she said scrubbing the plate a little harder than was probably necessary. It agitated her talk about it. A smirk came to his lips, and then quickly fled, as he was still confused. And being confused is something he never liked to be.

"Seriously Granger," he said, slowly standing and moving over to the sink where she was stacking the clean dishes. "Tell me."

"You wouldn't understand," she said staring over at him incredulously. "You can just go home to Daddy, I'm sure you'll learn about it sooner or later. Probably sooner rather than later."

"Do not bring my father into this," he said firmly. "My father is an honorable..."

He didn't get a chance to finish as her wet hand firmly made contact with his face as she spun to face him. She didn't back down either once he regained control of where his face had turned in the sting of the slap.

"Your father is acunning manipulator and crude servant to the sickest creature to walk the planet. He's no better or worse than I am so I suggest you hold your tongue Malfoy, before you never get the chance to find out for yourself," she sneered. "If you think your father's Crucio hurt, just wait until you feel mine."

His hand rose to the sting on his face as he took in her words. Father had wronged her in some way, and with her accusation of manipulation Draco of course drew the wrong conclusion.

"My father would never bed a Mudblood like you!" he yelled in her face. "Do not..." but he quickly found her wand in his throat.

"You are right of course, he would never sully his bed with the likes of me," she said with a twisted smirk that reminded him briefly of his Aunt Bellatrix.

"All right," he backed up a step. She did not lower her wand.

"Do you know how bad I just wanted to watch you suffer Draco? Do you have any clue how much I wanted you to bleed to death? Do you have any idea how much I would adore for the fever to steal your senses one by one then leave you bereft of your precious pureblood?" She sneered at him. "Of course you don't. You couldn't fathom me feeling such hatred could you. You couldn't fathom what those Death Eaters do in their meetings either. I understand exactly why Snape is the way he is. He has more honor in his pinky finger than you and your father combined. At least Severus doesn't partake of the "pleasures" they all play with. At least Severus doesn't hold them down for the Dark Lord to toy with."

"Do you realize that your pains are only physical and you will survive them with little to no scarring and be able to move on with your miserable existence!" She spat angrily with each word, but her voice never rose above a slight whisper. "You have some nerve daring to portray anything of your father. I helped you survive, fine. I'll not deal with it the rest of my life. If you even so much as dare to call me names, dare to come near me or try to harm me, not only will you answer to me but you'll find yourself answering to your own father. How do you like them apples Draco?"

She turned and stormed out of the room leaving him to stand there bereft of something to say. He had to figure out the puzzle she just laid before him. Answer to his father over harming her? How could...

Realization struck him absolutely dumb. Severus had been replaced; his father would get angry if he hurt the little Mudblood, held down so the Dark Lord could toy with her. It couldn't be true. She had such ferocity when she spoke. Such fire, yet she remained quiet in her tone. She wasn't lying; at least she didn't believe she was lying. His head drooped slightly. The Dark Lord's latest conquest was the one to save him. He would never live this shame down.

"Moping won't fix it, it's my fault she is here boy," he said leaning against the door of the cellar stairs. "I brought her here."

"Why Severus?" he said looking slowly back up at the ceiling. "Why didn't you just let me die?"

"Because I can't let you die, I have no choice but to protect you in any manner I can. And I knew Hermione Granger could, so I had to go get her," he shrugged. "You know that."

"Well now what choice do I have? I owe her. Whether I want to owe her or not, and I am honorable. Unlike my father, I will be an honorable Malfoy," he said turning his stormy gaze to the man he so adored.

"Now you are talking like a man. If you wish to make this up to her I do not suggest talking about it. She deals with it everyday," he replied turning to go back down the stairs. "Oh, and don't bring up Hogwarts to her either. She's the joke of Slytherin, and the tragedy of Gryffindor house. Hufflepuff pities her and Ravenclaw thinks she must have done something wrong to get herself into that position to begin with," he said before descending down the stairs. "Looks like you got your wish Draco."

As much as he hated her, hated all of Gryffindor, he never imagined her surviving a run in with the Dark Lord. He had done a great deal to her apparently. Her death at a Death Eater's hands would have been his wish. He had never been privy to what happened in the inner circle of the Dark Lord's followers. But it was her fault being a muggle born anyway. She was scum under his feet, why should he care? He didn't really. He just didn't feel that fit in with the Malfoy code of honor. That he could understand. Sneering, name calling, hexing even a curse or two, or threats made through veiled means were fine, but rape? That didn't fit. There was something desperately wrong with the scenario.

He heard her walk past him to the cellar stairs and call down them.

"Professor?" she called out.

"Yes Miss Granger?" came the reply.

"I have to go for a while. Do you require anything while I am out?" she called.

"Yes, I need a new cauldron and if you don't mind some Willendor Root and as much of the Boomslang Skin you get your hands on Miss Granger," he called up. Hermione turned from the door and looked at Draco.

"Crookshanks will alert you if any wizards other than myself come near the house. There is a port key in the vase by the back door that will take you somewhere safe if that occurs. Oh, and here," she said reaching into her robes. She drew out his wand and tossed it to him. "Courtesy of Fenrir Greyback, I'll thank him for you next time they come to get me."

He caught his wand and instinctively flipped it around in his hand before looking back at her with a sharp glare.

"He knows!" he said sharply.

"Absolutely not," she said flipping her hair over her shoulder. "But I'll see him before you do, hopefully. And as long as I don't lose his Majesty's interest, Greyback and his cronies won't touch me. I'm only allowed to be shared with the Dark Lord's finest, don't you know?" She spat at him and stormed out of the front door.

The slam of the door shook him slightly as he made his way to the cellar stairs. Looking down them he could see the familiar glow of a cauldron and new Snape was working. Instead he made his way to his room. Tired from the night's events and even more tired trying to come to terms with all of them.


	4. Chapter 4

The Wounded

Chapter 4

Enter The Enemy

She opened the door and walked in, unimpeded by those that were around her and within the dwelling. She raised her head up and refused to let herself be looked down upon by any of them. They had no right. They had no reason to look down on her. Pride swelled in her chest as one of them dared to greet her, and she met it with a quick witted quip of her own sending them skittering away. She knew what it was like now to be Severus Snape. And damned if they were going to relish her in a pity party. Pity was for the weak.

She opened the door to the library to see the man she loathed only an ounce less than Voldemort himself. He stood and greeted her most respectively, a sweeping gesture of the hand signalling her to sit beside him. Rather than take the offer, she moved a few chairs away from him and took a seat. Her eyes glaring needles and pins into his brain, even if he refused to feel them. She crossed her arms over her chest and narrowed her eyes.

"Saint Mungo's, under the full moon. He's planning on using werewolves. That's all I know," she said as she glared at the good eye of the man before her.

"Where have you been?" his gruff voice answered her information with less than a thanks even involved.

"None of your business Moody," she quipped. "I do not report to you."

"Under the circumstances, Granger, you'd better come clean," he quipped right back.

"Clean? I haven't been with the Death Eaters if that is what you are so worried about. I've been dealing in a personal issue," she answered.

"Well I don't see how personal you can get without any family to get personal over," he said as if accusing her of some hannous crime.

"Well, I fail to see where you are going with this. This was all your brilliant idea, do tell me, is it satsifying knowing a seventeen year old witch is doing what you could not? Is it satisfying to know that my body is getting you everything you have ever wanted? Personally Moody, I could care less what you think of me. I get you what you want and without me, a lot of people are going to suffer needlessly. And right now, I'm ready to pack up and walk away," she snarled in his general direction. "You are no better than he is."

"I'm not making you fuck him Granger," he spat.

"Oh no, just guilting me into it. You are just a sodding pimp and the information I get is your sodding payment. You got your update, now I'm going to take a shower, get some supplies and make sure I get seen. Otherwise there will be hell to pay," she said standing up. "Remember this, when all is said and done, Severus is immune to prosecution as is Draco, got it?"

"No need to remind me Granger," he muttered as she turned her back and walked from the room. She headed strait to the bathroom and got rid of her clothing. Getting into the shower she scrubbed away all proof The Dark Lord ever existed today. She scrubbed until her skin was raw, then let the hot water sting away any lingering pains. Today she told the Dark Lord about the planned meeting at Chimaralla Boulevard. But she told him an early time. That way only a few Order members would be there, and casualties would be small. Today she partook in the attack against a muggle high school during a basketball game.

The Lord was impressed with her spellcasting and reflexes as the school was laid to waste, the people inside having no clue as to what their crime had been to be attacked and killed by these cloaked figures. Just another terrorist attack against an unsuspecting nation of people. She defended the Death Eaters from the police, hiding them from view as they portkeyed out, the only thing she was more grateful for was not to be asked to do any of the killing herself. The Lord seemed to know that asking her to do that would probably be disasterous. After all, he was as conniving as she was really.

She washed her hair, and put the heavy laced conditioner into it. Allowing it to sit in her hair and work it's magic on the frizzball of a mane, she magicked away her body hair and drank down her potions to make sure the Lord's seed didn't take root. There was no way her body would ever be used to birth something so hideous. Leave that for Bellatrix, since she knew that was where the Lord was laying when it wasn't with her.

When Lucius had picked her up in Diagon Alley, he actually seemed somewhat sympathetic. He escorted her with the grace and elegance that was inherant she thought, to all Malfoy. Draco dripped of it when he wanted something, but he didn't have the finesse of years of experience his father had. It made Hermione wonder if he knew something she didn't. Lucius seemed very mellow the past few months. He wasn't when she first came into the Lord's possession, but word must have gotten to him eventually about Draco's misfortune. Greyback seemed like the type that would leer on about such things.

Narcissa was always cold and cruel. Jealousy. Not that she wanted the Dark Lord, but she knew that Lucius was the only one allowed in the room when the Lord laid with her. I'm sure she thought that Lucius was partaking of the pleasures in the room. In fact Lucius had only ever done anything to her once, and that he and she completely faked for the Lord's pleasure. All the while Lucius whispered secrets in her ear to staying alive longer. Things that the Lord wanted from her that if she provided she would live. If she failed, she would be punished worse than any Death Eater could be because she reminded the Lord too much of his own heritage.

Hermione knew why he did this. To keep his Lord's straying eyes off of his wife. If Hermione and Bellatrix filled the void, perhaps the Lord would leave his wife in peace. It was a means to his own end. Lucius hadn't even fully disrobed, leaving on his heavy velvet Death Eater's cloak and his pants for the ritual of the fake fuck session. Granted he had friction, and that was all it really took to get a male going, she laid there like the good used whore and moaned at the right times, ground against him at the right times and screamed his name when it was necessary. He then demanded she dress him back into his pants, which it never had come out of to begin with and promptly left the room.

Malfoy Manor was her next stop. She had the materials she needed, and she was going to see to it that Lucius became her ally on the inside. She needed someone to keep her safer than the tightrope she was walking now. If she could convince Lucius and Narcissa to work with her, then all would be better. She would have not only the Dark Lord's approvals, but also the Malfoys. Granted as soon as the war was over, one way or another, she was probably a dead woman. But right now, she was filthy sodding rich. She was beyond reproach from the Death Eaters, and the Order was just lining up to take her coat at the door . And the Aurors and the Ministry were just pathetically inclined to believe her just another muggle born victim.

Yes, she could see now why Severus Snape was the way he was.

Pansy Parkinson walked up the long, winding pathway to the doors of Malfoy Manor. Her heels clacking on the sidewalk as her cloak swished over her body flowing richly around herself. She was truly the impressive pure blood, wasn't she? Yes, until she forgot her purse after having tea with Narcissa this afternoon. How foolish was that.

Knocking upon the door, the butler answered and walked her right in. Moving her through the dark manorhouse to a well lit sitting room. She crossed her legs and let the butler take her cloak. Resting her hands in her lap she waited for Narcissa to be summoned.

It was much to her dismay when Lucius stepped through the doors.

"Ah, Miss Parkinson, what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?" he said with suave gentile mannerisms that would leave most any woman stunned without breath.

"I seem to have left behind my purse at tea earlier, I was wondering had the house elves found it?" she said with a small smile and a bouncy tip of the head.

"Well I cannot say, let us check shall we?" He said softly with a drawl to his voice that belied that he wasn't impressed with her unannounced visit. "Mimsy! Do come here!"

The little house elf appeared dressed in a stained, but clean pillowcase. "Yes Master?"

"Did Miss Parkinson leave her clutch here mayhap earlier?" Lucius said dripping with charm and eloquence in his voice.

"Miss didn't haves a clutch sir," she replied with a courtsey. "Shall Mimsy bring tea Sir?" she said almost bubbling to have company.

"No, that will be all," he said dismissing her with a wave of his hand. Mimsy promptly vanished with a snap of her fingers.

"Oh dear," Pansy said uncrossing then crossing her legs again. "I daresay I may have forgotten it elsewhere. My apologies for bothering you Lucius."

Lucius cast a silencing charm on the sitting room and moved to the chair beside hers. Sitting in it with eloquence and ease.

"You know Miss Parkinson, it is good manners to stand when the Lord of the house enters the room. It is also good manners not to impose as someone you are not," his eyes grew dark and dangerous.

"I know, I'm just waiting for the polyjuice to wear off. You might want to seal the door," the Pansy before him stated. "I honestly thought I'd be meeting with Narcissa."

"She is out with Pansy, actually," he smirked his wand was undoubtedly pointed below the table at her. She would just have to wait it out. She felt the ripple effect on her body, as her blonde hair turned almost brown and curled, she was able to blink and feel like herself again.

"Miss Granger, I suspect you have damned good reason for coming here," he snarled dangerously.

"How safe is this room?" she said sternly.

"The Dark Lord would be safe in this room," he said smugly.

"How safe is it from his ears," she said sternly again with the same inflection as before.

Lucius' eye lit up. She could just hear the cogs spinning wildly in his head. Something about spies and such. Too bad he was in for a surprise to find he was wrong.

"Very safe," he said purringly.

"Good, take this and read it," she said producing a scroll from inside her cloak.

"Portkeys will not work inside of the manor," he said incredulously.

"Good that it is not a portkey, then isn't it Mr. Malfoy," she said crossing her legs a little tighter.

Lucius picked up the sealed scroll, seeing the seal of the Aurors on the wax his eyes grew a bit more mischievious. Yes, he thought she was indeed the double spy that Severus had been. What a shock he would be in for once he got up the gumption to break the seal. She leaned back in her seat, crossing her legs one over the other again.

Lucius opened the seal and slowly unrolled the scroll. Reading it over he checked the Ministry seal upon it then looked to read it all over again. Then again. He lifted his eyes from it to her.

"You got them pardons?" he said with a shocked expression. "Both Severus and Draco?"

"Yes Lucius," she said softly. "I did."

"How?" he coughed, unable to form words really. He composed himself with a loud clearing of his throat. "Nevermind how. Tell me why Miss Granger."

"Because Bellatrix and Narcissa forced Severus to make the Unbreakable Vow," she said softly. "They felt that the Dark Lord's request was a suicide mission for Draco, and if Dumbledore did not die, he would surely kill Draco," she said quietly. "Thusly, Severus Snape has been protecting your son ever since the vow was made, including killing Dumbledore because Draco could not bring himself to do it."

"I see," he said staring at the note again. "This was done without their knowledge I presume."

"Probably," she said with a shrug. "All I did was provide the evidence. They did not even call me to testify."

"You do realize what you have done, the Dark Lord must hear of this," he said firmly.

"Of course, but he believes your son is long since dead from his injuries by now," she said with a soft smirk.

"What?" he snarled at her. "What injuries?"

"Fenrir Greyback attacked your son, and broke all of the fingers on Snape's hands," she said firmly. "Draco's wounds were... extensive."

"Where is he?" Lucius stood quickly.

"I have no knowledge of your son's whereabouts," she said softly.

"How do you know about Greyback then?" he stated incredulously questioning her completely disbelieving her.

"Greyback has bragged to a few, and reported it to our Lord while our Lord was with me," she said softly. "Greyback stated there was no chance for your son to reproduce now."

"What! Our Lord ordered this? The destruction of the Malfoy line!" he did not believe this. At all.

"Oh, and tell Narcissa to stop drinking the champagne at the revels," Hermione said cautiously.

"The champagne? It is customary," he said with his eyebrows firmly in the ceiling.

"That may be," she said ruefully. "I partake in at least a bottle at every revel. It is important to control breeding, you know."

"What?" Lucius was fuming. The rage in his eyes was enormous.

"I have some contacts," she stated. "In St. Mungo's. I will have one of them pay a visit. The champagne is certain to have had effects over all of these years of Narcissa imbibing it," she said sternly. "This will be done with the utmost in confidentiality, of course. But if Narcissa becomes pregnant, he will know she is not partaking at the revels. You know what that means…" She left the statement hanging in the air.

She plucked the blue vial from her pocket. He looked at her with a strange look.

"How did you get Polyjuice Potion?" he said moving forward.

"I've been brewing it since second year, Lucius," she said smugly. "Now, I understand you will feel the need to talk to the Dark Lord. I already spoke to him that I would tell you about Greyback. Do not mention the champagne. I said nothing," she said waggling her eyebrows. "After all, you had a right to know about how much a failure your son had been."

"Of course, Miss Granger," he said with a smirk. "Of course."


	5. Chapter 5

THE WOUNDED

CHAPTER 5

DODGEBALL

Hermione had finished her NEWTS this week. She was taking them months earlier than everyone else. It had been the Board of Governors decision to allow her to graduate early taking into consideration her situation with the death of her family, her attack by He Whom Must Not Be Named and her inability to be safe within the school.

Minerva MacGonagall had petitioned for it herself, due to Hermione's refusal to be transferred to the French school Beauxbaton. She only now had to await her scores and she could take on the teaching position for Potions. Although Slughorn would stay on as Slytherin Head of House until Severus Snape was able to be notified of his pardon and be allowed back his position inside the school.

Yes, Hermione Granger fully knew what it was to be like Severus Snape now.

--

"My Lord," she said bowing before him, kissing the hem of his robe.

"Mudblood, tell me what progress you have made," he hissed at her. The familiar tingling in her mind let her know that he was monitoring her for lies, but not digging into her mind as of yet.

"I have secured pardons for Draco Malfoy, and Severus Snape," she said. "I gave the scroll to Lucius Malfoy earlier this week to bring to your attention. I had not been made aware of your new location yet."

"Have you located them yet?" he said incredulously.

"I have no means to as of yet," she said softly. "I can only hope that Snape becomes infuriated at my replacement of him and comes forward to retake his position. I have been taking NEWTS all of last week. The plan for my early graduation and my apprenticeship with Slughorn went according to plan."

"So you have saved my spy," he hissed at her sweetly. "And become one as well."

"Yes Sire," she said softly.

"I sense fear in your voice," he hissed, his tone was apprehensive. "What do you fear?"

"I fear my usefulness to you if Snape does return," she sighed. "As I have said many times, I am here to survive this war."

"And you shall have more than just survival," he said. "I think I shall arrange a marriage for you, my sweet Mudblood. And your purpose will serve me well to keep my loyal spy, loyal."

"Whatever you deem me worthy of, my Lord," she said with a sigh. "But the Order is beginning to question my loyalties, marrying Snape will only confirm their suspicions. Is there any way I can prove myself to them?"

"Of course," he hissed. "I have prepared for this. Come my sweet. We have much to discuss. Lucius! Come, we adjourn."

Hermione stood and produced her wand and handed it to Lucius, as was the custom. She was not to be armed in her Lord's presence alone.

--

Hermione walked into the cottage. It was still in one piece, and everything seemed in order. She did not hear them moving about, but that was not surprising. With a sigh she moved to the kitchen. It had been recently used, so they were probably still here.

"Snape?" she called down the cellar steps. Nothing.

She turned and headed down to the bedrooms, there she found them. Draco was in his room, asleep. They must have been so bored here. She moved to Snape's bedroom and found him sleeping there.

"Severus?" she whispered. Usually he would wake at the slightest touch, sound or otherwise. Nothing. Worry creased her brow. "Severus!" she whispered harshly. This got his attention and he roused groggily. This was wrong. Something was wrong with this whole situation.

"Granger," he said mockingly. "I thought you had decided to go for good."

"Where is Crookshanks?" she said angrily.

"Probably in with Draco," he said sliding his feet over the edge of the bed and reaching for his wand. "What news have you got?"

"Get up and get dressed, I will talk to you in the kitchen," she said turning on her heel and walking out.

Several minutes later he emerged, dressed only in his shirtsleeves and trousers. His bare feet padded down the hallway, and she heard him stop at Draco's room and rouse him as well before entering the kitchen. She had tea ready that she was sipping quietly.

"Well, Miss Granger, anything of importance?" he drawled as he sat down. She placed a small package before him.

"The Dark Lord wants you back," she said sipping her tea. "I have arranged all I can, including sanctuary and safety for Draco."

"In hiding with the Order, no doubt," he scoffed.

"No," she said smartly. "In school, where he belongs. I have arranged that Draco will no longer be plagued with demands that he join with the Dark Lord as long as he doesn't get in the Dark Lord's way either."

Severus opened the package. She watched his long fingers that were so elegant to working potions work their magic on the seals on the package. Slowly he lifted each sheet of paper inside, his eyes scanning over everything individually before he looked up to her again.

"I have been, pardoned?" he looked at her incredulously. "That undermines everything Dumbledore wanted to happen!"

"I doubt Dumbledore wanted Him to get the upper hand. You have a chance to circumvent that," she said raising an eyebrow. "Dumbledore's plan is now moot. The Horcruxes are in our Lord's hands. Having Harry search for them over the summer was a complete waste of time," she shrugged. "Did he think that Riddle wouldn't go get them once he realized they were being sought?"

"I was sure he would go get them," he said. "But then again, what do you know of Dumbledore's plans even if I didn't?"

"I had to secure your pardon somehow," she said raising an eyebrow. "Dumbledore's penseive was one of the key parts of that evidence."

"I see," he said. "And so I am to go back to teaching again."

"Yes," she said smartly. "As well as a few other modifications to your status. Not that it matters overall."

"What doesn't matter?" Draco said from the doorway.

"The tea kettle is still hot," Hermione said as she stood and took her tea into the living room.

"Apparently she doesn't want to talk to you about it," Snape said. Draco looked dumbfounded.

"All right, I have had just about enough of this attitude of yours Granger!" Draco snapped storming into the living room. She didn't even seem phased. She did not look at him, she did not give one of her snappy retorts, she did not threaten him, or cringe. Something in her eyes was all too familiar. It was the same look his mother's eyes had all the years he was growing up.

"Get your things together Malfoy, pack your trunk. You are going back to Hogwarts," she said sternly. "There is no room for argument."

"Oh yes there is," he said firmly. "I don't know what you have been doing Granger, but it is not going to work. You are playing at something and I won't have it!"

"Oh you will Malfoy," she said as she slowly stood from her seat, setting down her teacup. "Or you will suffer the same fate I have, or worse. Did you know our Dark Lord likes little boys? No, I bet you didn't. He is rather androgynous that way. He'd like nothing more than to see you bent over that neat metal cage he has in his private quarters. Strapped down and wailing like a girl as he anally impales you over and over to his every delight. You are weak, Malfoy, weak and in no way tied to his final plans to conquer the sodding world. So be a good boy, go back to where you are safe, where Professor Snape can protect you from the evils of the world and you can go back to being the Sex God of Slytherin, seducing girls on the weekends and trying to beat Potter at Quidditch!"

"You dare!" he started. "The Dark Lord has no such intentions for me!"

"Oh you are a prat. You do not figure into his plans you insipid child!" she snapped back. "You are nothing to him! You are a pawn, a toy, and a means to an end! And when you couldn't even kill a sick, and poisoned wizard you proved you were fucking useless!" She had smugness in her eyes that dared him to bring it further.

"What? Did you think you would sit at his right side? Did you think you would have a purpose? No, he saw right through your plan to over ride him by divulging his lineage!" Those words made him take a step back. "He is a half blood, you knew that. You were going to use it against him. Damnit you stupid prat, they all knew that!"

"My father will hear of this, Granger," he spat.

"For your sake, he had better not," she said in a low threatening tone. "I am trying to save your skin here Malfoy! The Dark Lord wants the Malfoy line to die out or he wants to control it completely! Greyback thinks you cannot breed, leave it that way!"

He stumbled back, sitting down on the chair like she had struck him.

"Is it true?" he looked at Snape with unshed tears.

"Yes," he said sternly. "He wanted you out of the way. Either dead or in Azkaban."

"Why?" he said. "I wasn't able to even join, how would he know if I was loyal or not?"

"Because you ran your mouth off," Snape said incredulously.

All the scathing comments in Slytherin Common Room had made it back to the Dark Lord. All the things he had said just to make himself look better in the eyes of his peers had cost him his future.

"Why did he take you Granger?" he asked looking back up at her.

"He didn't have Snape on the inside anymore, he needed new eyes," she said waving her had dismissively. "Now that Snape is back, it will be my job to "keep him in line" because you know how badly I hate the man." Her tone was so sardonic it paled what Snape normally used.

Snape turned his head to her sharply. Surely she wasn't implying that she was to keep him in line with the Dark Lord. Then again, that very well may be the case.

"How precisely are you to keep me in line, Miss Granger?" he said raising an eyebrow.

"Well, having a marked Death Eater makes sure I do not miss the meetings when someone cannot be sent to pick me up," she said looking at him. "And for me to be near you when the calls come, I would have to have a reason to live in your quarters. The Dark Lord intends to force us to marry. But because I hate you so much, it would be in name only and would keep other suitors away from me. And keep Ronald Weasley from trying to pursue a relationship with me once I finally heal from my emotional scars of being gang raped by Death Eaters."

Snape gawked. Draco gawked even more.

"So how is it that you were supposed to find me?" Snape questioned. "Or does he know you found me already?"

"I haven't found either of you yet," she said smartly. "But I will. Since I will be tracking Greyback this week, and he will find you."

Draco shivered and turned his head again to Snape.

"No boy, I will not let him near you again," Snape said smartly. "Greyback and I will have a talk about that to the Dark Lord."

"Don't bother, as I said, I bought Draco's freedom as long as he stays out of the way of the Lord's plans and keeps his dick in his pants, because he cannot breed you know," she said strongly.

"Does my father know of Greyback's attack?" Draco said warily.

"He does now," she said waggling an eyebrow at him. "Greyback bragged to the wrong person in the circle, he told Wormtail."

"Who told the Dark Lord," Snape sniggered.

"Now, tomorrow Greyback will be looking for you in the woods near your old home. I suggest you get some rest boys, tomorrow I return Draco to Hogwarts and you will get to deal with the Dark Lord, Snape." With that she left the room to rest.

"When did she get so cocky?" Draco said raising a brow.

"Since she became a woman scorned," Snape answered cryptically.

--

"Granger," he said trudging through the woods, "this area has been searched a thousand times. Why would Snape come here?"

"Because he would think that way," she said raising her finger at him. "Snape would know that we would not search it again. Remember our orders, we cannot kill him," she said warningly.

"Shut up whore," he snapped back at her. "My orders said not to kill, it doesn't mean he has to go back intact. Plus, that boy is here too."

"Remember Greyback, he is mine," she snarled at him. "The Dark Lord promised all you left of him to me."

"Oh I remember," he chuckled. "Hate him so much do you?"

"Oh yes, and then some but he is going to pay slowly for his years of pain he brought me," she said with an evil twinkle in her eye.

They trudged on a bit more before the light from a campfire came into view. Two dark figures stayed near its warmth. Fenrir signaled Hermione to go around, flank them. She moved with a silencing spell to keep the leaves and sticks from making any noise as she went. This was not about to be pretty; Crabbe senior followed her so she had to make this convincing. Once she was in place, Fenrir purposefully stepped down on a stick letting it snap underfoot. Snape's attention turned with haste to Greyback wand in hand. Hermione took the cue and stepped forward in her mask and cloak and hit Draco with a stunning spell. The boy did not have a wand; Greyback had broken it in their last encounter. Hermione raised her wand to Snape, as did Greyback and Crabbe.

"Severus, old friend," the werewolf chuckled darkly. "We have the boy, you can probably save yourself and apparate, but I would not recommend it. Our Lord would like a word with you."

"And why has he not summoned me then?" Severus said incredulously.

"Perhaps he thought to send his latest toy to play with you first," Greyback motioned his wand toward Hermione.

"Crucio!" she spat, and Snape spun to face her before kneeling in pain.

--

It was intense! Who knew that the girl could harbor such hatred! Blood rushed into his ears as he fought not to crumble.

"_Sevlicorpa_!" she cried out. He felt as if a thousand thorns had been stuck into his scalp, which broke his concentration on the pain wracking his body.

"_Crucio_!" she cast it just as his concentration broke and he did indeed scream out.

"WHO are YOU?" he snarled as his hands hit the dirt.

"Just someone that missed you Professor," she said with a sneer he could hear in her voice. "Time to pay homage to your true Master."

"I never left his service!" Severus moaned out. "I have been loyal!"

"Oh of that I do not doubt," the girl's voice said loudly. "I am just getting even for six years of insults and self loathing you took out on me."

"We need to go," Fenrir said. "Crabbe, take the boy."

"No, he is mine!" she snarled.

"Yes, yes. You will get him when we get there," Fenrir said. "Unless the Lord said otherwise."

"I have a Portkey to get us there," she said with a hiss. "Take Snape and go, I'm leaving now. Crabbe, bring everything here with you. Leave no trace they were here!" With that, she removed a vial from her pocket and forced it into Draco's hand. With that familiar pull on her navel she was gone with Draco. When she steadied again, feeling tossed and torn from the inside out was never comforting; she was in the bedroom she was allowed to use from her Lord. Draco lay at her feet. He was starting to come around.

"_Ennervate_!" she said and Draco's eyes snapped open. "Wakey wakey." She said with a snigger.

"Where am I?" he said looking at her. "Who are you?"

"That does not matter," she said smartly. "The Dark Lord will tell you or he will not. He does not wish to see you at this time, and may not wish to see you at all. Be thankful. Usually he does far worse to those that fail him, eunuch."

Draco sputtered and shuddered.

"Your father will be sent here soon," she said firmly. "Might as well get yourself comfortable Draco."

"I do not believe I ever gave you permission to use my given name!" he snarled at her.

"I believe you are in my bedroom, and I will call you whatever I wish, Ferret," she said with such malice it was dripping from her mask.

"Where is Severus?" he said warningly.

"Oh pipe down, you git," she said dismissively. "Probably safer than you are right now. Now just sit back and wait for your father."

Draco sat on the bed, and put his head in his hands. This was all too much. His high status was reduced to nothing now. Snape had not corrected anything that Granger had told him, nothing. That meant that she was speaking the truth, and unless he wanted to give away that he was indeed intact, he had to sit down and shut up. Greyback had done a lot of damage, but he had missed all of the essential parts of his body, but barely.

The knock on the door must have come hours later, but Draco's thoughts raging had made it seem like moments. His captor moved across the room and opened the door, letting Lucius step inside. Draco stood and looked at his father. Lucius looked shocked at the well health of his son. He obviously had expected a lot worse than what was standing before him.

"Father?" Draco said hopeful. Lucius stepped forward and looked over Draco appraisingly. Draco took another tentative step forward and Lucius pulled his son to him. Hermione turned to the window, not to bear witness to the moment between the two.

"Miss Granger," Lucius voice was clear. She turned and Draco's eyes bugged out of his head.

"GRANGER!" he snarled.

"Good job Lucius," she drawled, removing her mask.

"I care not, no one would believe him anyway should he try to tell someone," he said waving his hand dismissively. "I do believe I owe you a debt of gratitude."

"Do not thank me yet, I have to take him back to Hogwarts," she said moving forward.

"Of course," Lucius said stepping back.

"Father! What is the meaning of this? I was supposed to take my place at your side," he said incredulously.

"That is no longer feasible Draco, you could not do the Lord's bidding. It took Miss Granger quite a bit of dealing to get him to leave you alive, be thankful for that," Lucius tone was warning. He did not want to talk to Draco about this now. "I will come see you soon."

"Yes, father," he said lowering his head almost in shame.

"Miss Granger, once my son is back at Hogwarts in the care of the Head Mistress, our Lord wishes to see you," he said sternly.

"Are you to see him again tonight?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, I am to go back there now," Lucius said firmly.

"Tell him please, that I will return after curfew. I cannot get away that quickly or I will be missed," she said with a sharp nod.

Draco looked at Granger in a whole new light.

"When you have finished, you my use the Lord's Floo and come to Malfoy Manor," Lucius said sternly. "There is much I owe you Miss Granger."

"Very well, Mr. Malfoy," she said as she looked to Draco. "We must go. Grab your trunk." She turned back to Lucius. "And that is Professor Granger, by the way."

With his most gentile smirk he gave her a mock bow. "My apologies, Professor."

Draco had gathered his things and was standing near his father now. Lucius turned to his son and embraced him again. Hermione would not call it a warm embrace, but it was probably warmer than Draco was used to. Lucius released Draco to Hermione and stepped back.

"Until later, Miss Granger," he said again with that exceedingly mocking bow and strode from the room.

The next Port Key took them directly to Minerva's office.

--

His mind was reeling. He felt like his scalp had been severed from his head, and the Dark Lord had spent the last few hours ensuring his loyalty, yet again. It was always this way. Pain was the great cleanser of the soul, the great confessor, and the great liberator of sins in the Dark Lord's eyes. And right now, his soul could barely get any cleaner. The only specks of his pain left, and no amount of pain could cleanse them were the Order, and Hermione. Everything else had been laid bare before his Lord. And now, he was given respite from the torture as his confessions had brought his Master's ire upon another, one Fenrir Greyback.

--

Hermione appeared as she had been instructed to just shortly after 10 pm. She moved quickly to the circle to stand slightly behind the other Death Eaters. She was not technically one of them and was not allowed ringside seats to Greyback's punishment. Which overall, was fine with her.

Greyback was writhing in his chains as she approached. But her approach had not gone unnoticed.

"My sweet, do come forward," he hissed reverently. She waited as the two before her stepped aside and allowed her forward. They always stepped aside, they all had this grand idea that if they did they would be in their Lord's better light. Foolish Imps was one name she had called them all on random occasions. She went to her 'Master' and kowtowed to the floor, bowing her head to his robes, rather than pick up the hem and kiss them as the others did. She could fake humility if it ended this damn war sooner. "Look at the two I hold before you. Severus Snape, once loyal spy and member for more years than he has been alive. Fenrir Greyback, once loyal werewolf with many contacts into the werewolves of Europe. Old and very wise of the people of his clans. If I were to offer you one of them to keep, which would you choose?"

"I would choose Severus Snape," she answered coolly. "My Lord."

"And why would you choose him over one as wise as Greyback?" he proffered.

"Why would I wish to take your powerful werewolves from you?" she said still with her head to the floor. "Snape's loyalty may be tense, but with constant supervision, he would not sway. Greyback would sway on a moment's notice if you were no longer his master. I would not deprive you of such a loyal follower this way."

Names and whispers came from the circle around her. 'Mudblood whore', 'Bootlicker', 'Brown Nose', were just a few she caught while straining to hear her 'Master's' voice over their incessant whispering.

"I should belong to Severus Snape," she said quietly. "For he is of purer blood than my own." This shut them all up. As if they could not believe what was being said out of her mouth. "I belong to you My Lord. I will do whatever it is you ask of me."

"Well said," he hissed. "And why are you mine?"

"Because I wish to live through this war, My Lord," she said reverently. "And you will win."

"Good girl. Rise and take him out of my sight. You will tend him, not that incessant nag Pomfrey. If I find that she is tending him, you will be made to pay," his orders were not to be denied. "He is to return loyal to me, and healed to work as the Potion Master he is."

"Yes My Lord," was all she said as she rose to her feet and moved to await the removal of the pierced shackles that held him in place now. Carefully made were these concoctions. A piece of metal that pierced between the bones of the lower arm and the lower legs preventing in totality self-removal even by wandless magic was attached to each of his limbs. Touching the mark to each manacle, Walden MacNair handed her a very broken but alive Severus Snape.

"_Mobilicorpus_," she cast at him and waited to be dismissed.

"Will you require anything from the Loyal Death Eaters?" he hissed at her.

"Only use of your Floo so I may answer a request to one of them," she answered quietly.

"Which has called upon you?" his tone was jealous and possessive.

"Lucius Malfoy," she said lowering her head reverently like a submissive dog.

"Ah, that is all well," he hissed. There was a pang in his voice that told her that there was something very wrong with this picture. Very wrong indeed. "Use the Floo and be gone."

"Thank you My Lord," she said walking Snape and herself to the fireplace. Grasping up the Floo powder she pulled Severus in with herself with a throw of powder and the announcement. "Malfoy Manor!"

Severus and Hermione stepped from the fireplace in Malfoy Manor to find it was dark, and very quiet. Hermione immediately snapped out her wand and lay Severus on the nearby Chaise lounge. It was too quiet here. This place was much busier than this last she was here.

A moan caught her ear, and she moved tentatively toward it.

"Mimsy?" she whispered. Nothing. Damnit! The moan came again, feminine and agonized. She took another step and heard the '_squish_' as her foot settled in something wet on the floor. Oh no no no. This was very bad. "_Lumos_!" As light filled the room, Narcissa's form lay upon the floor with her back turned to Hermione, the wet material she had stepped in was blood soaked into the rug. Not good at all. Lucius would be back any moment.

"_Stassis Corpus_!" she cast over Narcissa, it wasn't the most savory of spells but it would keep any more damage from being done. A scratching sound was heard out of the corner of the room, and Hermione spun, casting before the enemy got the chance. "_Expelliarmus_!" The creature that barely passed as a human being hit the wall hard, his wand flying in the other direction than that of his body. "_Accio Wand_!" The girl had the creature's wand in hand before gearing up her next spell.

As the creature was recovering, one very perturbed Wormtail skittered and tried to get away by attempting to shift and get away. "_Levicorpus_!"

The rat quickly found itself being held up by it's back ankle in the air. It hissed and squeaked and carried on, but the spell held. Once assured he wasn't getting away, she turned and moved to Narcissa. She could find no wounds, but there was so much blood. Without a second thought, Hermione cut away the expensive robes from the pale witch and found the blood all over her legs, and apex of her legs. Suddenly Hermione's world got a little bigger, she wasn't alone. With a deep sigh, she began the same spells she had used to save her son on his mother.

It was almost an hour of this when she heard the whoosh of the Floo and turned to see Lucius step from the flames. By this time Narcissa was wrapped up tightly and sleeping soundly. Potions that Hermione always carried with her for her own good now came into play into Narcissa's system.

She was tending Severus, when the heavy thud of Lucius' cane hit the hearth.

"What is the meaning of this?" he snarled.

"I have not had time to seek out your house elves, none answered my call. Your wife was attacked, by Wormtail apparently," she sighed pointing her wand at the dangling rat. Lucius took sight of the dangling man, who had shifted back when Lucius arrived hoping it would break the powerful hold spell, but again to no avail. The rat just whimpered piteously.

"I had orders! She was going behind your back! Sneaking around she was!" Wormtail whimpered horribly. "Seeing a specialist as Saint Mungo's she was!"

Lucius sighed and moved to the simpering man.

"Miss Granger, release him at once," he said sternly. Hermione raised and eyebrow.

"_Liberacorpus_!" she said with the proper flick of her wand. The man came down heavy on his shoulders.

"You are going to pay for attacking me Mudblood!" Peter voiced rather loudly.

"Actually, you and I are going to see our Lord right now," Lucius said, grabbing up the rat by his ear and dragging him to the lobby.

"Lucius!" he turned to face a red faced Hermione. "The damage was done rather cruelly. I think she is the same as Draco now." Hermione said with tears in her eyes. "I am sorry."

"What!" he looked at the rat again and murder was written in those dark stormy eyes. The 'orders' the rat was under were finally playing out in full in his head. He dropped the rat as if daring him to run. Daring it to give him a reason to kill him on the spot. But wisely the rat did not run. "Shall we go discuss these orders with the Dark Lord then?" The cordial measure in his voice was uncanny. He turned his glare to Hermione, and it softened, only slightly. "You may have use of anything in the Manor you require to tend to my wife and Severus. I shall return soon."

Hermione only nodded as they Apparated.

Hermione went back to Severus and Narcissa. Narcissa was whimpering and her nightmares were horrendous. Hermione wiped her brow with a cool cloth for over two hours. She began to worry what was taking so long for Lucius to return. Surely the Dark Lord did not have plans to kill the man just yet. Severus was awake now, and trying to stretch and use his limbs once again.

"I am sorry you had to wait so long. I could not get away before curfew, Professor," she said quietly.

"How is she?" he asked.

"Her nightmares are stuff the Dark Lord dreams of, I am sure," she sighed. "She will never be whole again."

"What happened to her?" he asked.

"Wormtail removed part of her reproductive system by force," he replied. "And I think Lucius is probably having the same done to him as we speak."

Severus sighed. "Do you know your way around the Manor?"

"No," she said as she pressed the cloth to Narcissa's face again.

"Mimsy!" but there was no response. "Tinks!" Again, there was no response. "Miss Granger, please remove the silencing spell from the room."

"There is none," she answered. "I think Wormtail got rid of them first." She watched as Severus tested his legs and received assurance that Hermione's healing spells and the nasty rejuvenating potion worked completely before he headed down one of the hallways that led from this sitting room of sorts.

Hermione sighed and stood up, stretching out her muscles from sitting on the floor and letting her legs fall asleep. She thought deep about what was going on, if Lucius fell tonight, castrated and tortured or just made a tad bit more loyal through torture it could devastate everything. There was a small tickle on her mind that met up with the firm walls of her Occlumency before she turned on Snape.

"If you want to know, I suggest you ask," she said sternly. "There is no room in my mind for yours." With that she found a chair to sit in and wait while she watched Snape feed potion after potion to Narcissa's unconscious form.

It was a little more than another hour before a 'pop' let her know that Lucius was back. He strode into the living room angry, but apparently intact. She said nothing to him; it could very well be that this was not Lucius at all. Polyjuice was something the Dark Lord kept on hand at all times, she had just brewed some for him less than a month ago.

"How is she?" he set down his cane and removed his cloak. "And where are my servants?"

"I have been tending to Narcissa's wounds, I haven't left this room to find out. Ask Snape," she said with a shrug.

Lucius lay his cloak down on the chair and moved to Narcissa's form, looking it over with intense curiosity to her injuries, but his eyes did not show concern. This unsettled Hermione as she looked to Snape, who was busy studying Lucius. It would seem they both had the same thought.

"_Diffindo Dermis_!" Hermione called out and Lucius grabbed his face and fell over holding it tightly. "_Accio Cane_!" she called as Lucius' cane flew to her hand. Blood rolled over Lucius hand; the hex had cut deeply into his face. "Now, who ever you are you will have a deep scar to answer for when you take your true form. Where is Lucius?"

Snape looked at the man lying on the carpet panting for breath. He leaned over him and pulled several vials of polyjuice in their blue bottles from his trouser pocket, and two more that he didn't immediately identify.

"This is a long term job, he has enough polyjuice here to remain Lucius Malfoy for a week or more," he said sternly.

"Can you find out if he knows where Lucius is?" she said raising an eyebrow.

"Can … never… get one… over on you… Hermione…" the panting figure said. "Who would have… thought you … had studied … the man so … much…"

"Snape?" she looked at him and he nodded. They both knew at that moment, Wormtail had tried to turn sides, yet again. The Order was at fault for this and they had Lucius.

"I'll go, I want to know who this bastard is anyway," she said snarling. She walked over the man casting a Mobilicorpus and making him walk with her to the lobby. "Do not leave her alone in case Wormtail comes back. I have a feeling his orders came from somewhere other than the Dark Lord." Snape nodded as she dragged this man out and apparated to 12 Grimmald Place.

--

Moody was a bit alarmed to see a badly bleeding blonde wizard thrown at his feet as she appeared. Her hair wild and her stance incredibly angry, her wand deftly in her hand.

"Who is that?" she hissed angrily.

"What is the meaning of this Granger?" his gruffed back at her.

"Trying to implicate in another spy? Don't you have enough juggling to do? Do I not keep you busy enough?" she huffed angrily. "It took me thirty seconds to realize this was not Lucius Malfoy. How long do you think it would have taken the Dark Lord? You Moron!"

Tonks was already at the blonde wizard's side, tending to the slicing hex that had marred his beautiful face. Further answer that this was indeed not Malfoy. Molly ran in carrying rags and a basin as well as a few potions.

"I am warning you Moody, if you ever believe Wormtail over me again, I am walking on this whole deal. Do you understand me?" she hissed angrily.

"No walking unless you enjoy Azkaban, Miss Granger," he laughed at her. Molly looked at him puzzled.

"What is he talking about Hermione?" she looked at the angry girl before him. "Why are you so angry about this?"

"Sweet Jesus Molly! He hasn't told you anything has he? Of course not, you might not approve," Hermione rolled her eyes at the naïve witch staring at her. She just turned her icy gaze back to Moody. "Now, I will warn you once more, where is Malfoy?"

"Locked up downstairs, under interrogation," he scoffed.

"Great, you do realize that you just made this get ugly, right? You want to make yourself into another Albus Dumbledore you just keep right on going. But I will be smart enough not to kill you Moody. Maim you, probably. You are extremely foolish to try and pull this stunt!"

"Wormtail brought him here," Moody gruffed.

"Wormtail!" Molly turned an evil eye on Moody now. "You let that… that… thing in here?" Molly was rising to her feet. "You are consorting with that bastard! You are daring to use his information to get Lucius Malfoy here?"

"Good thing the interrogation room is soundproof or you may have just tipped our hat Molly," Hermione said firmly. "Now, I am going to 'liberate' Mr. Malfoy. Give him the whole crying spy bit, and you are going to let me. If you don't, I can guarantee you that you will have a hundred Death Eaters here within the hour if they are not already on route. How long do you think your precious wards will hold then?"

"Tom let his rot in prison once, he'll do it again," Moody snorted.

"You fool! No he will not! You have no idea what you are talking about do you? Step away Moody," she said firmly. "Mr. Malfoy needs to be liberated at once or you will not only blow my cover, but Severus' as well. Now step away and do not ever do something on a whim like this again! Where is Wormtail now?"

"Downstairs doing the interrogation," Moody started as he watched Hermione's eyes widen to the size of saucers and her body fly into motion to reach the kitchen and down the stairs. Her footsteps coming in rapid succession as she flew down the narrow steps and rounding the corner of the room behind the furnace. She halted as she saw the once regal Lucius Malfoy, battered and beaten against the wall and a wild eyed Wormtail cutting away the last of his clothing.

"What are you doing?" she hissed, her wand pointing at the rat. Wormtail looked at her with panic, his lip twitching furiously. His silvery hand reaching toward Lucius again as a moan caught her from the corner. Charlie! Damnit Charlie was supposed to be the witness to the interrogation, but Wormtail apparently had his own plans to carry out his orders. Lucius would live, just as his son supposedly was, a eunuch.

"_Expelliarmus_!" she called out and Wormtail's knife that he was cutting away the fabric with flew out of his hand while his body collided with the hard stone wall. "_Levicorpus_!" she screamed and again, twice in one night, the rat like man was dangling by his ankle. Moody turned to see the sight before him and drew in a disgruntled breath.

"What is going on here?" he huffed loudly.

"Seems Wormtail is still working both sides of the fence," she sneered. She approached the Rat and tapped her wand to his head despite his desperate flailing. "_Obliterate_!"

--

Lucius awoke sore and aching all over. Every muscle felt as if it had been torn off and replaced. He was warm, and in his own bed. He started awake suddenly realizing where he had been and where he was now. How did he get here? How had he avoided the attack of Mr. Pettigrew? How had he gotten home without his wand? His eyes peered around the room to find an attentitive Hermione Granger sleeping against the post of his bed, sitting upright with her head lulled off to the side. His wife lay next to him, sleeping seemingly peacefully. Confusion was reigning supreme. The bruises on Hermione's face, the swelling of some of her fingers was the only damage he could see at this point in time. She had obviously been hurt, but by whom? Where was Snape?

He lifted himself from the covers to find himself in one of his dressing robes. He pulled it tighter around his body and moved over to the other side of the bed where Miss Granger obviously was distressingly uncomfortable and sleeping. He started to move his hand toward her and in flash reflexes he would almost applaud he found her wand in his throat. Unseeing eyes began to focus on his face, and she sighed pulling it back.

"Excuse me, Mr. Malfoy," she sighed. "I should not have fallen asleep."

He heard Narcissa whimper then settle back into sleep. He gave an ushering of hands to ask her to step from his room and she nodded getting up and leaving the area quickly so he could dress more appropriately.

Lucius found Severus and Hermione eating in the sitting room, it had been cleaned thoroughly. And now breakfast and tea was laid out. They seemed to have been awaiting his arrival.

"Good morning," he said noncommittally. He took his seat and looked at both of them extremely puzzled. "Do I dare ask how I am to be in my home? And how it is I am healed, and you are not Miss Granger?"

"I used the last of my curative potions on you," she mused. "You were in far worse shape when I got you home. I was healthy at the time."

"How did you come to such injuries?" he inquired.

"Ensuring to the Dark Lord I was speaking the truth about Wormtail's plan against your family," she sighed. "You know the old English adage, if you can't wipe them out, breed them out?"

Lucius knew where this crass conversation was going. "Or keep them from breeding at all." He replied. "Outlive your enemy, it is the sweetest revenge."

"Wormtail convinced the Order you would not be sorely missed, I managed to convince them otherwise. They sent someone here with Polyjuice potion made from your hair to try and be you," she said with a melodramatic wave of her hand.

"I must say, she was quick to react," Severus said smoothly. "She had whomever it was pinned down with a nasty slicing hex before I noticed it was not you."

"It was Shakelbolt," she said plainly. "I delivered him bleeding back to his Master." A wry grin playing across her lips. "I convinced Moody that he was playing this game all wrong. He was sure he had an easy way to lure out You Know Who, and put a quick end to this war."

"Foolish," Lucius rolled his eyes. "These wounds are from our Lord?" He bemused.

"Of course, I must prove my loyalty four times harder than any of you with the Marks. I am after all, Muggle Born," she said indignantly. "This is far less than I have received in the past. It is nothing."

Lucius sat and listened to her tale. He looked to Severus who just seemed to reply with a stern look that said _do not challenge this_. His eyes drifted back to the Mudblood before him and the question that had plagued his mind came to his lips finally.

"Narcissa…" was all he managed to get out. She looked to him, and for the first time since she had been brought to him, made a toy and a spy, and made to serve he watched the frigid ice melt out of her eyes. Compassion showed in every way to her soft demeanor. And he knew.

"Barren," she said softly. He watched her hand come forward toward his on the table, then recoil back. She placed both hands in her lap and sighed. "She is not unable to …" her eyes drifted to Severus as if she needed help wording this but even Severus did not know what she needed to say. "She cannot birth normally. If she were to conceive, she would require constant bedrest, no use of magic at all, no use of magic on her person, and absolutely no birth. It may very well kill her. She has very large scars, her womb is otherwise intact."

"You did this?" he said softly, almost reverently.

"When one cannot go to the hospital wing, one learns to take care of oneself," she said reassuringly. "I have studied more than most mediwitches or potion masters, present company probably excluded."

"And you are sure?" he sighed. He wished now that he had more children with Narcissa. That they hadn't waited. They wanted to dote on Draco before having any more if they were going to have any at all. They enjoyed their lives without children, but Draco was a necessity. They were not sure they wanted to do this again. Now he hated that they hadn't.

"Lucius, I am sure that a midwife could assist her, but it would be very risky and probably very difficult for her to conceive," she said softly, regret deep in her voice. "I knew something was up when the Dark Lord dismissed me, but it this he had planned. He had a very different punishment in mind for you and had told Wormtail what to do. This was his own doing."

"What was my punishment to be then?" he scoffed.

"You were to find Wormtail raping her, for trying to covet her from him. Not that he wanted her, but he read your thoughts the other night how you would never take the Mudblood. And he realized you had betrayed him in his own quarters when you had mocked his desire to see you take me," she sighed and looked away. There was no need for masks on this. She had been grateful for that night. He had told her how to survive this ordeal, he had told her how to make Voldemort happy. "Most of my bruises were for not telling him what you hadn't done."

He suddenly realized his folly. He remembered when the Dark Lord had probed into his mind that night after he had taken Granger's wand. Damn himself to Merlin's Isolated Hell! He had forgotten about her first nights here. He had forgotten that he was supposed to have already had her!

"I kept your secret," she sighed as she pushed her food away. "I know you would not lower yourself to take something as base as me, but I was grateful for that even if it was a twisted prejudice that caused it. It was not a prejudice that caused you to tell me how to survive. And for that I will always be grateful to you Lucius."

Lifting her tea she watched the fire crackle in the hearth. "The specialist was revealed by Narcissa herself to Wormtail. They apparently were having a discussion as gracefully as Narcissa could manage in his vile presence. Wormtail did not like her "looking down her nose at him" as she put it." She used her fingers to make the accentuation on the quotation marks so he knew they were Narcissa's words.

"Severus is there anything you can do?" Lucius asked almost pleadingly. Having another child without Narcissa seemed the last thing he wanted.

"There is no need, Lucius," Severus said balefully. If they were going to be in this for a knut, Hermione had dug herself in fully for the Galleon.

"What do you mean?" he spoke heartily.

"What he means is, that I was able to fully restore Draco. But no one must know of that, do you hear? The Dark Lord's last report was that he was unable to breed, and that made him angry enough. Give me some time, and I will report that he has sexual function. Your son will not give up his prowess at school, it would be too much of a blow to his Pureblood ego and the children whom have parents at the meetings will taunt him. I do not think Draco is wise enough not to retort and prove his sexual capability especially to Pansy," she said with a deep sigh. "And then he will want proof of it. Draco's child is intended to be his next body."

"What!" Lucius snapped and stood abruptly. This was too much.

"The original plan, or so You Know Who muttered in his pillow talk, was to have Draco succumb to a lust potion locked in a room with Pansy whom would be fed a potion to ensure fertility. Once the child was conceived, Pansy would be taken into seclusion until the child was born, then suffused with our Lord's. Well… shall we say… essence?" she explained as best she could.

"Pansy would be disposed of at this point. He has no need for her and he does not care for her company at all. He Himself is barren because his body is one compilated, not true to life. With a new body that is pure and birthed, he will breed his new line that will rule when his death finally comes, the ultimate immortality."

She thought for a moment before continuing. "Now that he thinks Draco is barren, he had to come up with another plan. Bellatrix is now the one that will carry and he is looking for the stud to his broodmare now," she replied. "He wants power and influence, so I do not know whom he will chose yet. Pansy is supposed to die on the next Hogsmeade trip to save him from having to deal with her betraying nature later."

Lucius looked almost desperately to Severus who simply nodded his reply. "I am afraid my friend, you may have just become said studding stallion. He will know of Narcissa's problem conceiving soon."

"It was already compromised by the champagne served," the Muggle Born replied coolly. "That is why she sought independent assistance and caught Wormtail's attention. I am sure the Dark Lord already knows she was seeing a mediwitch to create a Charm to assist her," she ticked. "I told you I would help you with someone that would keep this a secret," she sighed. "But I realize why you would not trust me."

"I apologize to you Miss Granger," Lucius said with no emotion in his voice. The betrayal read anger deep and fiery in his eyes. "Now, Severus, I will allow you to my private stores and you may tend her wounds if you please." His eyes reminded her of the day in the Department of Mysteries.

"Your house elf Mimsy would not allow me entry earlier," he replied indifferently. "She was quite allowable while she was punishing herself, but now she is adamant that I do not intrude."

"I see, I shall get what you need then," he rose and walked swiftly away.

"You told him too much," he hissed.

"No I did not," she replied. "One thing Lucius prides himself on more than his service to our Lord, is his family title and heritage. The Dark Lord put that in jeopardy, he will be more wary now. And Draco will not be called to become a Death Eater now, which ensures his line. Another thing the Malfoy line is renown for is paying their debts."

"One way or another," he snarled. "A Death Eater's wife belongs to all Death Eaters. Narcissa knows that. Why would he worry about studding stallions now?"

"Because, Lucius' prime hope is that he would take over when our Lord passed on," she smirked. "Now that hope is dashed for yet another child, one that will not know the love that kept Harry Potter in check all this time."

"Of course, it all comes down to Potter, doesn't it?" he sneered.

Hermione just sighed, this was not the time or place for an argument. She was not about to go on defending Harry to Snape, just as she had defended Snape to Harry and Ron. Lucius returned with four vials in his hand and set them before Hermione. She took one of them with her swollen fingers and looked at it. Then passed it to Snape knowing she would be unable to uncork the bottles.

Snape uncorked each one and left them for her to drink down. She did so without a grimace or a frown. The last one tasted wrong, and she turned her eyes to Lucius who sat with a twisted smirk on his face.

"Now Miss Granger, I think we'll have a talk," he sneered at her. Severus just rolled his eyes. "How long have you known my son was alive?"

"Since my first year at Hogwarts," she shrugged.

"That is not what I mean and you know it, now let us try this again," he said melodramatically.

"You know you are indeed even more sexy when you do that Lucius," she said with a wry grin.

"How long have you known he was alive since Albus Dumbledore died?" he asked again.

"Since Albus Dumbledore died, he's a stubborn prat and too much of a thorn in my side to die easily," she said mirthfully.

"Have you been in contact with him the whole time?" he asked.

"No, I have never been in any willing contact of Draco Malfoy. I avoid it whenever possible," she said raising an eyebrow. "And furthermore, I did not know of his condition until later, after…" she shuddered, and took in a sharp breath of air as the antidote coursed through her system. Thank the gods for muggle inventions, false tooth pockets were a common kid gag to use on Halloween for erupting blood from one's mouth, she had just put it to a more practical purpose. Vertiserum antidote instead of the fake blood worked wonders. "After he was pardoned."

"Absolutely amazing," he said with a raised brow. "How do you do that?"

"Do what? Breathe? It is easy, my diaphragm contracts and pulls downward forcing…" she was cut off.

"No, lie under Vertiserum?" he mused looking deep into her eyes. He found himself hitting another stonewall of her Occlumency. "How do you do that?"

She just blinked at him. "Lie? I believe that is firmly impossible to do under its effects."

"When did you find my son injured?" he inquired again.

"I did not, Snape did," she said truthfully. It was Snape that originally had found the boy injured, not her.

"How did you find out about his injuries?" Lucius sneered.

"Wormtail," she said firmly. "Greyback was bragging."

"Ah yes, Greyback. He did brag quite a bit about the attack," Lucius looked at her. "How did you know about Narcissa's attack?"

"I just felt unsettled when our Lord was so willing to let me Floo to your house, he usually would not allow for such a thing. Since it is apparent he did not know about the attack, I can only assume he thought I meant to seduce you," she said raising an eyebrow. "Anything else?"

"Where did you get the evidence to clear my son?" Lucius said quietly.

"Easy, Dumbledore left it behind, and all of this work I do for the Order gets me certain perks, you know," she said waggling her eyebrows. "After all Lucius, I am just a poor eighteen year old Mudblood that they send regularly to our Lord's side for a little pinch and tickle." The venom was thick in her voice. "They do not question my information in the least, or my loyalty. I am after all, a courageous, loyal and stupid Gryffindor who is too young to be messed up in this."

"Indeed," Severus said scathingly.

"Remember Mr. Malfoy, it was you who taught me how to survive our Lord. Do you honestly think me stupid enough to betray him? I like breathing, grown rather accustomed to it over the years," she grinned.

"Do you realize that you have dodged every question I have asked you?" he asked. His arms were crossed over his chest.

"Only way to be a good spy," she said with a smirk. "Severus, grab my index finger and my middle finger and pull please. The Skele-Gro is going to weave them crooked."

Severus pinned down her hand by the wrist and grabbed the two crooked fingers pulling them into place. The harsh snap of one of them made all wizards for miles sit on their hands much the way a man crosses his legs just hearing about someone getting their jewels injured.


	6. Chapter 6

THE WOUNDED

CHAPTER 6

THE LIONESS' DEN

DISCLAIMER: I OWN NADA, NUTHIN, BOOPKASS, DIDDLY, SQUAT AND NOTHING REGARDING ANYTHING HARRY POTTER EXCEPT FOR A FEW TRADING CARDS MY DAUGHTER PUT IN MY STOCKING THIS YEAR. (NOT INCLUDING ALL THE BOOKS AND ALL 3 MOVIES)

Chapter 6

Hermione sighed as the interrogation ended. Lucius seemed satisfied that he was not going to get a strait answer. That seemed to be what he was looking for. Finally the question came up as to his many injuries at the hands of the Order.

"You didn't get them from the Order," she replied with a sigh. "You got them from Wormtail. You were only stunned by the Order. Charlie Weasley was supposed to be your other interrogator, but Wormtail seemed to have his own plans," she responded. "I think he planned on warming up to whomever the Dark Lord would chose as his next right hand man." She shrugged. "Frankly Lucius, if you want to survive this war you need to be more careful whom you instill any trust in."

"Oh, and I should trust you?" he scoffed.

"Absolutely not, you should trust me least of all," there was a darkness in her voice that just sent chills down his spine. "Now what did you want me here for?"

"Ah, I had almost forgot," he said melodramatically. She saw where Draco got his flair from now. "Come, like I said, I have something for you. Severus, join us."

Severus stood and followed, not liking this at all. Then again, he never liked much of anything anyway. The lack of control he had over this situation made him more than uncomfortable. Hermione seemed to be running the show, and the part of Master of Ceremonies was something he was more used to having.

Lucius guided them down a hallway into a large parlor type room. Inside there were several boxes set into piles over the room. Severus gave Lucius a strong look. He recognized the seals on the boxes.

"Miss Granger, these are yours. For your new career, of course," he smirked. "Draco enlightened me that you were listed on his roster of teachers this year. I believe Congratulations are in order."

"What are you playing at Lucius?" he raised an eyebrow.

"Nothing, these are not from me. What is in the box on the coach table is my present. These are from our Lord for your loyalty," he replied.

Cautiously she looked over the boxes, scanning them. They were harmless enough, each one bore the crest of an eagle over a shield, the crest of two snakes winding around the staff said that they came from some sort of medical facility? She opened one box, and slowly moved aside the tissue paper. Her hands recoiled as if she had touched something hot. Severus looked over her shoulder at the most elegant dress teaching robes he had seen in a long time. They were a dark blue with silver trim.

"These are too much, I cannot accept all of these!" she gasped.

"Nothing is too much for our Lord's favor, if you do not accept them he will be most offended," Lucius said with a smirk. That much was true. When the Lord bestowed gifts it was rarely done without reason. Severus had to raise an eyebrow how a muggle born witch had garnered so much attention to have seventeen boxes piled here. One so large it must have taken three house elves to get in here.

She moved to the large box and opened it. He heard her breath catch in her throat and she took a step back. "He was serious!" She swayed a bit and seemed unsteady on her feet. Lucius and Severus made quickly to each side of her as her knees gave and she sat down hard staring into the apparently offensive box.

Severus looked over and his eyes too became very wide. Inside was a golden set of marriage robes, complete with headdress and shoes. Lucius looked into the box and his eyes were wide.

"And just whom does our Lord wish you to marry?" he snarled out at her.

"Professor Snape," she said breathing difficultly. Severus' eyes traveled to Lucius, and Lucius gave him a hard look.

"I am sorry old friend, you deserve better than this used up woman for all your years of service," he said looking away. "Come Hermione, I will see that these are sent to Professor Snape's chambers. Do you hold those chambers now?"

"Yes," she said softly. "I haven't changed them, I haven't slept in the bed either."

"Then where did you sleep, silly chit?" Severus started on her.

"The couch, it did not seem right to take your bed, sir," she said still dumfounded. They lifted her up and she took back her footing. "I have to get back. Severus, I need you to go with me. I will be punished if I am not tending your wounds and tending you."

"Hermione, why do you have my quarters?" he said incredulously.

"Because I am the new Potions Mistress for the school, along with now one very snarky Master," she chuckled. "I apprenticed since you left with Slughorn."

"Oh dear, Merlin be merciful," Severus said as he assisted her back to the lobby.

"I will come by later, if that is acceptable," Lucius offered. Hermione turned and looked at him. "You sure you want to come to my den? I have plenty of my own Vertiserum you know."

He chuckled. "Then it should prove a most interesting escapade indeed. I must make sure Narcissa is well, then I shall join you this eve."

Hermione quirked a brow. She didn't know what he wanted, and when she looked to Severus, his look in his cold, obsidian eyes conveyed the same mysticism of Lucius' offer. It was best to get Severus alone so they could talk in peace about the subject.

"Until later, old friend," Severus said as he pulled Hermione by the waist against him. With a loud crack, the Slide Along Apparation tugged and pulled their beings to the gates of Hogwarts.

"Minerva is expecting us," she said as she headed toward the gates. He caught her by the arm and turned her to look at him.

"I do expect that I will get a full explanation soon," he said firmly. "This is not going to bode over well if you are not fully forthcoming."

"Why Severus Snape, I think you just threatened me," she said with a purr. "Good to see you are back to your normal self, but there will be no taking house points from me now. And you cannot threaten me with detention either."

"Yes, but a Death Eater's wife is something very few actually wish to be," he said with his tone low and menacing.

"There is nothing you can do to me that hasn't already been done," she snarled and ripped her arm free from his long fingered grasp and headed up the green toward the school doors.

"I am beginning to believe that," he sighed to himself.

--

The meeting with Minerva was excruciating. Due to the large influx of students she had deemed it best to keep both Severus and Hermione as teachers instead of one assisting the other. Since he had all of his degrees, Hermione and Severus came to their own arrangement. Although they would both have to be Professors, she would assist him. He was used to teaching 5 classes a day anyway. This way he would not have to take care of it all by himself and he could devote whatever time he needed to the Dark Lord's interests. In return for her assistance, he would begin coaxing the Dark Lord into handing possession of Hermione over to Snape. The add-on bedroom was added to Hermione's rooms, supposedly to belong to Severus, but Hermione moved her belongings into it instead. Again, it was his rooms first, and she would not intrude on his space.

Minerva seemed to believe that Hermione was out of her gourd to be accepting of the Dark Lord's proposition for her to marry Snape. She should be with that nice Weasley boy.

_Yeah, nice Weasley, right, sure, whatever Minerva_, Hermione thought to herself.

It was clear that Minerva had no clue to the extent that Hermione was working. Now they had to find a way to make Harry and Ron believe she was in love with the Master of Potions. Her day was just getting better and better.

By the time they made it to his quarters, she had a pounding headache. They both seemed to have the same issue because Severus' long strides beat her to the potion cabinet. When she asked him to retrieve a headache potion for her as well, he turned and looked at her with absolute mirth in his eyes. He did not laugh, but he understood. Handing her the vial, he downed one himself and set the vial for washing.

"Getting everyone to believe that we needed a Potions Instructor was easy. Now I have to convince Harry and Ron that I am so desperately in love with you that I am willing to go through eternity married to you? Gods I do not understand this world!" she sighed.

"I think there is a simple solution to this," Severus said quietly.

"And what would that be?" she said lifting her eyes to his.

"You are muggle born, simply insist on a muggle ceremony. It's binding in the wizarding world, and divorce would be easy enough," he shrugged. "Then you are not tied to me for all eternity."

"Are you crazy?" she said with a laugh. "And who is going to stand for you?"

"Well, I suppose Lucius…" he paused. "Point taken." Realizing Lucius would not go near a muggle ceremony for any reason whatsoever would cause ripples to the Death Eaters.

"Well, there are a few things we can do," she said quietly. "We are going to have to convince _him_ that you are interested at all in me. Even as a "Death Eaters Wife". I doubt I can break your Occlumens like I do with most of the others to convince them they had the greatest time of their lives."

"You what!" his eyes turned dangerously on her. "You use Legilimency to …"

"You don't actually think I let them get their sick jollies with me do you?" she shuddered. "The only two that have had the pleasure are _him_ and Rabastan, and Rabastan is dead now."

"What about the rallies and revels?" he walked over and sat next to her offering her a brandy. She took the proffered glass and looked at him with a stone cold look that rivaled his own.

"I make sure there is plenty of _entertainment_ so I do not have to split my interest. Our Lord doesn't like to share at the revels," she replied.

"Why did you start doing this?" he said looking at her incredulously, disbelief rang true in those dark orbs.

"Did I have a choice?" she said with a huff. "No. I was blackmailed into it."

"What did you give them as ammunition to use against you?" Snape said raising an eyebrow.

"I didn't. After my capture, Moody threatened to put me in Azkaban," she replied. "You were too much of an asset to lose, so they needed an immediate replacement. Moody made sure I fit the bill."

"How did you know you were going to get brought back?" Snape said after a sip of the delicate brandy.

"Lucius saw to that, if you want to look at it yourself, I would allow it," she answered.

"And how do you know you can trust me?" he scoffed standing and moving to the fireplace.

"I don't. But if you do not know the whole scenario, the Dark Lord is true to know that I do not trust you. And if I do not trust you, he is likely to kill you rather than have the potential threat of you working for the other side," she said raising an eyebrow. "I proved myself when I retrieved Lucius and turned over Wormtail as a traitor," she answered.

"He knows you are working with the Order?" he turned his eyes back to her.

"Of course he knows," she said crossing her legs and leaning back into the couch. "There isn't much I could do to hide that fact."

"Miss Granger, this is very dangerous ground you tread upon," he said sternly. "You are so embroiled in this now there is no getting out."

"I did not ask for this, but what can I say, I am in up to my eyeballs," she said rolling her eyes.

A knock on the door startled them both from their conversation. Hermione rose and moved to the door to find Dobby standing there with all the boxes from Malfoy Manor floating behind him.

"Ah, thank you Dobby. Would you please put them in the spare room?" she said with a soft smile. He glared at her and walked past her, once the boxes were in place, she caught him before he poofed out of the room. "Dobby, why are you glaring at me?"

"Miss gets boxes from Mr. Malfoy? Miss doesn't like Mr. Malfoy does Miss?" he scolded her.

"I only received them as a gift Dobby, for helping Draco, do not worry," she said softly.

"Miss doesn't needs to help young Master Draco. He's a prats he is!" he huffed at her.

"You are right, he is a prat. But Dobby, you will see in time," she said running a hand over his ears. "I have my reasons, and none of them will result in my getting hurt. Not with a strong elf like you around, right?"

"Yes Miss," he said bobbing his head. "Any friend of Harry Potter is a friend of Dobby!"

"Of course, now I must change. Would you have two dinner trays brought for the Professor and I?" she asked nicely.

"Yes Miss!" he said with an enthusiastic bob of the head. A snap of the fingers later, Dobby was gone.

Hermione took her time sifting through the large boxes. Each one contained three sets of robes, some for teaching, some for social, some formal, and of course the wedding gown. That one was the hardest to put away. She hated the fact that now this was impending on her future far beyond anything the War would do. There was no such thing as divorce in the Wizarding World. This was definitely not her day. Not her day at all. Mark the calendar_, this was NOT HERMIONE'S DAY_, she thought to herself as she hurled the shoes into her wardrobe angrily_. Future? What damned future!_

Finally she came to the large wooden box that was Malfoy's gift. She had not the time to open it at Lucius' house. She sighed and brought it out into the sitting room with Severus. He looked at it, then to her.

"What is that?" he said raising an eyebrow.

"I do not know, it's Malfoy's gift," she said as she set it down on the couch. Severus cast a couple of charms to check for curses and such. There were no such things on the box or it's contents.

"It's safe," he said sitting down in the double wingback chair. "Open it, if Lucius gets here and you haven't opened it, he will be offended." He watched her shoulders drop and sighed. She seemed resigned to her fate, and that did not settle with him at all. He watched as her long elegant fingers, from years of wand waving and potions making, open the latches on the box. It was a long box, and from the way she was carrying it probably weighed about two stones worth.

Hermione lifted the lid, he could see it was lined with a dark violet velvet. She gasped and stepped back. He looked around her and saw a beautiful wand, crafted to a fine point, a note above it clung to the lid. Each end of the box held another square shaped box. This must be where the weight of the box came from. He watched her shaking hand reach forth and pull down the note, and crack the seal. She read it over, then handed it over to Snape for inspection.

_Dear Miss Granger,_

_Please find inside the gifts I have had crafted for you. The wand was made to Ollivander's specifications, but crafted by a legal and reputable creator since our dear Ollivander is now with our secreted numbers. A dragon heartstring, but the wood was changed to a dark mahogany. The sterling silver and gold accents added atop are to assist you with potions, the length-13 inches was requested by Ollivander to assist you with your difficult transfigurations. He was certain you could handle with ease such a length. The handle is crafted from California Redwood. Ollivander was rambling something old powers enrapt in new bodies. The leather that binds the handle is made from dragon hide. I do hope it is not too much for you too handle. _

_Also the gifts on either side of the box are for you to wear at your leisure. I had originally intended on asking our "friend" if I would be allowed to keep you, but your status as Draco's instructor has now ceased that calling. Your status is going to be too well known for us to maintain any sort of relations now. Of course you understand. _

_Sincerely Yours,_

_Lucius Malfoy_

Severus read the letter twice, checked it for hidden messages then threw it into the fire to burn away.

"What sort of relations is he talking about?" he looked at her with a harsh scowl on his face.

"You will see when I show you," she said as her voice shook slightly. Her fingers reached for the first box on the left of the box. Opening the well-crafted lid, inside she gasped. It was full of jewelry, and adornments of all sorts of magical quality. She moved to the right, and opened it, and inside she found jars. All sealed, full of some of the rarest potion ingredients. Again she gasped reading some of the labels. She looked to Snape and gestured him over to the box. Snape looked over the box contents and shook his head.

"Lucius always did believe he could buy everything he wanted," Snape said incredulously.

"That's just it, he never wanted me. So what is this all about?" she said looking at him trying to understand.

"Apparently he wants something, I just cannot tell what," he said. "Perhaps that is something to discuss with him when he comes back."

"I think I am beginning to figure this out," she said looking to Snape. "Oh Merlin! I have figured it out!"

"Show me," he said quietly, taking her by the hand and leading her to his room. She froze at the doorway. "I am not bringing you in here for any other reason than what you offered earlier. It is best to be comfortable while I do this."

She nodded and followed; her hand was still trembling slightly in his.

He sat her down on the side of his bed, and took both her hands in his. "Relax, let down the Occlumency, let me in. If there is something I do not need to see, I will bypass it. Fair enough?"

"I do not care. Look at whatever you feel you need to," she said raising her chocolate eyes to meet his. "I am ready."

--

He looked in on her past memories. He saw everything that had transpired up until he found her on the Astronomy Tower, then moved further back to the night she became property to the Dark Lord. The fact that Lucius never took her, astounded him. He had partaken of many of the whores and others that were taken.

He frowned on her bringing muggles to the revels. But then again, she was keen on whom in her world to touch and whom not to. It would make sense to have her go get the evening's entertainment.

Little secrets she had found out, like the contraceptive that was added to the champagne that had no effect on men, but was keen on women. The fact that he had not taken Narcissa since Hermione came into the game.

The fact that Bellatrix was seething with jealousy every time Hermione was summoned upon, that was interesting.

Hermione was indeed strong. She had endured much and was punished much harder than any of the other members. How had she withstood it and kept her sanity? He looked deeper. Potions, she had been working on potions to relieve her symptoms of her punishments. Excellent, he would talk to her about those later.

He was suddenly pushed into a memory from just after the Dark Lord took her. He heard her screaming and whimpering, darkness around her eyes.

_Now now, you are his little toy now. That means I can take you whenever I want little Mudblood, _he said. _And with you down here in the dungeons, you can plan on it whenever I want it. You got that!_

_BLAISE NO! _He heard her scream. _I cannot do this! It will make him angry! Don't do this!_

_Shut her up boys! _And suddenly the only thing was the pain. She knew her assailants, Zabini, Crabbe and Goyle. And it was a constant occurrence. No wonder he wanted Snape here with her. She hadn't finished serving her purpose yet. If they got carried away, she'd die before her purpose was done.

Now he moved to her most recent thought. It was almost a simple math problem.

Fact 1: _The Dark Lord keeps nothing around him that is stronger than himself._

Fact 2: _The Dark Lord is the strongest wizard alive, supposedly, now that Albus Dumbledore is dead._

Fact 3: _Albus Dumbledore was a pureblood._

Fact 4: _The Dark Lord is a Half Blood._

Fact 5: _The Dark Lord preaches that Muggle Born Witches and Wizards are the bane of Wizarding Society, gaining much of the Purebloods' support._

Fact 6: _The Dark Lord keeps Purebloods around him at all times, and thusly he believes them weaker than himself._

Fact 7: _No attacks against Muggles or Muggle Born Witches and Wizards have been of anything consequential. They almost seem random and meaningless. Just ways to make the Death Eaters even more feared._

Fact 8: _The attacks are enough to entice anger from the wizarding community as a whole, and thus demand the Dark Lord's death as well as all Death Eaters._

Fact 9: _When the "final battle" happens, Harry Potter is supposed to destroy the Dark Lord according to prophecy. Is that in mind as well as body?_

Fact 10: _Harry Potter is already tied to the Dark Lord in power as well as mind and by blood as well._

Fact 11: _If in the final battle, the Dark Lord is destroyed in body but he takes over Harry Potter, he will be a hero. All Death Eaters will be destroyed or imprisoned, and Harry Potter will be able to win anything he wants from the Ministry as a whole. Eventually he will even able to take over the Ministry with all of his popularity. Thusly, the Dark Lord wins._

Fact 12: _Without most of the Pureblood lines to stand in his way, disbandment of the properties to the "victims" of the war will ensure that Harry Potter gains the most because he's lost his whole life to this war._

Fact 13: _Keeping me, Hermione Granger, nearby makes sure that his disguise in his new body stays and nobody suspects Harry Potter of being Voldemort. Thus removing two birds with one stone._

Fact 14: _Dumbledore's secrecy on everything about Harry has ensured that nobody will suspect anything about any changed behaviors after the war._

Fact 15: _The Dark Lord, Voldemort, Tom Riddle, etc. will cease to exist in a new HALF BLOOD's body. Nobody will hunt him anymore, and he can start reaping the profits allowed because of his muggle heritage and gain favor in both worlds. Thusly all of wizardom loses, except muggle born witches and wizards, and a few half bloods that turn their back on the wizarding world._

Fact 16: _The Dark Lord must have already thought of this, and probably has an entire group of people opposite the Death Eaters, made from half bloods, muggle borns and what few lines of pureblood he wishes to preserve or breed into the lines ready. _

Fact 17: _He identifies with Snape, due to similar heritage. This makes Snape a threat or a powerful ally. But since Snape has been treated just like any other Death Eater, and Death Eaters are food to the slaughter of public outrage, he can save him or crucify him at leisure by marrying him to me, Hermione Granger. If Snape is abusive, he will expect me to turn him over as a Death Eater. If Snape is kind, it will save him for the New World the Dark Lord intends to make. _

Fact 18: _The absolute reason why no one is allowed to kill Harry Potter other than the Dark Lord himself is because when Harry's blood dies, the Dark Lord's body will start to disintegrate. So, in the final battle, there must be a contingency plan for the body to survive. The only option is taking over Harry's body. No other arrangements, including his Horcruxes will work. The Horcruxes are simply a fall back plan._

OVERVIEW: _By taking the path he is taking at present, the Ministry will be under his control, as will Hogwarts. He already has numerous followers from Russia and other Pureblood families that will all be destroyed when "Harry" reveals how to trace the Dark Mark. Thusly, all Purebloods involved will either be killed off before hand or die as a means to placate the public at Harry's command later. Those he wishes to keep are already somewhere else with his new followers, made of the muggle born and half bloods he has probably trained himself and has stashed away somewhere. They may or may not make an appearance at the final battle to "assist" Harry Potter._

Snape retracted himself from her mind and looked at her with a harsh stare. What she had worked out made perfect sense_. It would be foolish to believe that the Dark Lord could not think this far in advance about his physical person._ _Were the Horcruxes enough to fool Dumbledore into thinking they were the key to his destruction? It didn't really matter now that they were all in the Dark Lord's possession. _Snape's mind went into overdrive. _Why hadn't he realized any of this before? Because you were too busy running from place to place, getting punished and healing, and trying to please two masters. Granger is only trying to please one master and get a job done. Thinking all the time is something she has done way too many times anyway, damnable Know It All._

Hermione Granger would be heralded as a hero for her work because she never took the Dark Mark. She would provide cover as the Dark Lord's new alias as Harry Potter. And if Snape was a good boy, he would get to bask in her sunlight? Of course.

How did Trelawney come up with the prophecy then? Could Trelawney be associated with the Death Eaters? No, she's too much of a lush to be trusted. Some sort of possession spell? That is entirely possible. Is that why the Dark Lord was so set on the prophecy's fulfillment? Of course.

_Damnit! _

--

The green flames in the study along with the whoosh sound let them know of Lucius' arrival. As he stepped through, he looked as elegant as ever. Dressed to the nines, and his demeanor was one of the cat that got the cream. Hermione knew the second he walked in that he had been talking to Draco.

She walked up to him and smiled with a welcoming gesture into the sitting room. Lucius took a moment to appraise her looks in her new robes, with his gifts of jewelry adorning her neck and wrists.

"You look lovely this eve, Miss Granger," he said appraisingly, before striding into the room.

"May I take your cloak, Lucius?" she said with a gentile smile. He removed it and handed it to her. She made away with it, putting it onto the hooks near the door. "How was your visit with Draco this eve?"

"Pleasant, and very informative," he said with a smirk.

"Scotch, Lucius?" Severus offered, pouring a brandy for himself and Hermione.

"Please, minus the Vertiserum, of course," he said with a chuckle.

"Of course," Severus agreed pouring the drink for him. "Here you are Hermione," he proffered a crystal chalice to her with the rich burgundy drink. She took it before taking her seat on the couch with all the grace she could muster for the oncoming conversation.

Bringing over the two other chalice for himself and Lucius, Severus took his seat in the armchair after Lucius sat at the other end of the couch. "So do tell us what was so informative?"

"Pneumonia, it's going around I hear," Lucius said with a smirk. "Yes, I know about how you and my son were healed. Now give me one damned good reason I shouldn't run to the Dark Lord about this."

"It does not matter if you do or not, he already knows," she said with a shrug in his direction. "He does not have as clear an image about Draco's health."

"I found that part the most intriguing," he said raising an eyebrow. "How is it that my son is so, well how to put this eloquently, in tact?"

"I am a very proficient healer, and Greyback missed, but just barely. The damage was all surface and skin damage. Nothing below the skin in certain, personal areas, was injured," she said sipping her brandy. "Ever get a cut on your finger? It just so loves to keep bleeding, even though the cut is small, it bleeds and bleeds. The genitals are no different that way."

"And Greyback assumed he had done what Wormtail told him was an order from the Lord himself," Lucius supplied.

"I assume so," she said raising an eyebrow. "I did not arrive there until after Greyback's punishment. Severus and I have not had time to talk just yet about what happened prior to my arrival."

"One does have to contemplate that," Severus said looking at the color of his brandy like it was a fine potion. Lucius' eyes were on him instantly. "How could Wormtail think that this wouldn't get back to our Lord? Truly an attack upon your family by Greyback would eventually get back to the Lord, especially since they left me intentionally alive."

"Even Pettigrew isn't that stupid," Hermione put her two Knuts in. "No, I think it is safer to say that you must be especially wary right now, Lucius. If the Lord is not involved in this, it goes much deeper than just Pettigrew."

"You would dare insinuate our Lord in such a way!" Lucius hissed.

"You would not considering it is the future generations of the last family directly descending from Merlin at stake?" she said incredulously. "Do you realize how much he boasts about your inability to breed appropriately?"

"Breed?" Lucius said as if it were an insult. "I, Madam, do not 'breed' according to the whims of anyone!"

"Right, especially now that you cannot," Severus interjected. "You took a Wizarding Ceremony with Narcissa. You can only procreate with Narcissa. And now she is barren." Lucius' face fell. "Unless of course it was Pettigrew's intent to kill Narcissa. Then you could procreate with whatever our Lord wished of you. But married you are now useless to the future generations. And now that Draco is equally sterile in our Lord's mind, your whole line is solely based on Narcissa's life."

"What in the name of Merlin are you preaching at?" Lucius said standing abruptly.

"Lucius, calm yourself this instant," Severus, said coolly. "We are not trying to upset you, we are simply putting together the facts as we see them. And we see them from both sides of the fence, so you may wish to put aside your pride and arrogance because the Dark Lord does not care if you have them or not. Keep in mind he makes you bow and kiss his robes, my friend."

"This is treason to speak this way," he snarled.

"True," Hermione said with a shrug. "But think about it, Lucius. You are here. Who is guarding Narcissa? The house elves? They were so successful last time. You might want to make a surprise visit home if you value her life. If I am right, I am sure we will speak again. If I am wrong, I am sure I will be before the Dark Lord begging for my life soon enough." Hermione finished her statement and rose to gather Lucius' cloak.

Lucius took in everything the woman had to say, Severus could see the wheels working in his head and realized that she was more than precisely right. He did not even bother to get the cloak on, before he was rushing into the Floo.

"Nicely played," Severus said once the green flames returned to normal.

"I thought so," she smirked.

"So you know of an attack on Narcissa?" he raised an eyebrow.

"Of course I do," she said leaning back and sipping her brandy.

"You were sorted into the wrong house my little Lioness," Severus said appraisingly.

"I am not your Lioness," she spat at him, setting down the glass and storming from the room. "You would be wise to remember that Severus Snape!" He did not bother to watch her little tirade out of the room. She had worked her way into the potion lab, probably bent on venting on some of the potion ingredients. _Poor flobberworms_, he thought in mirth.

--

Two days later, Severus and Hermione had not been summoned. They had settled into a rigorous teaching and research schedule. Allowing each of them several hours in the evening to either continue their research or go about personal things such as her incessant need to visit her friends.

"I don't understand how Professor MacGonagall can expect you to work so closely with the greasy git," Ron said in almost a whine.

"That is Professor Snape," Hermione said through gritted teeth. "I have to work with him, I enjoy it and he is much more pleasant company outside of the classroom."

"That's not what Professor Spectra says about him," Harry said with a raised eyebrow.

"Maybe that's because Professor Spectra was turned down flat by Professor Snape and she just does not know when to give it up!" Hermione said with a huff.

"Whoa, wait a minute," Ron said taking a hard look at Hermione. "Did you see that for yourself?"

"Sort of," she said with a sigh. "She came in and asked Professor Snape out to the Three Broomsticks for after dinner drinks. His sarcastic nature and harsh tones came right back into play as he not only turned her down, belittled her beyond repair, and almost chased her out of his lab. He hates intruders in his lab, and she just walked in like she owned it. It was extremely disrespectful for her to ask him out like that and do it right in front of me like that as if he would feel bad about it, I do not blame him for blowing up!"

"Oh," Ron said.

"What?" she looked at him.

"Well, you sounded like you kinda fancied him, that's all," Harry said, looking at her with a hard stare. "He may have gotten pardoned in all, but he did kill the one person who looked out for me."

"Harry, Dumbledore did not look out for you," she said exasperated. "He sent you back time and time again to the damned Dursleys' house! Oh that was looking out for you. Oh yeah. More like he was making sure you lived to do what it is you are expected to!"

"Hermione?" Harry looked like someone had just killed his puppy. "What are you saying?"

"I am saying Harry, is that Dumbledore, and most of the Order just want to make sure that the Dark Lord dies. They aren't looking at the consequences; they have no idea what they are doing. You need to trust me on this one, Harry. There are very few that actually have any clue, and Moody is not one of them," she said sternly.

"Oh, and you are," Harry spat at her.

"Yes, I most certainly am," she said firmly. "So are Severus and the others that are working very hard on this. Everyone has made you out to be the great Chosen one. Just remember that you are Harry Potter, and that means more than any name or title someone tries to put on you. Do not let them make your decisions for you, ever."

"Hermione, you are scaring me," Harry said as if all she had was a fever.

"My health is fine, worry about yourself, okay?" she said calmly.

"Alright," he said with a confused look in his sparkling green eyes. Harry wasn't dense; hopefully he got what she meant because if she was any clearer, someone might get a clue. She was just grateful Ron wasn't the Chosen One.

"Hey, 'Mione you going to Hogsmeade this weekend?" Ron asked with a bit of a smirk.

"Yes, actually she is," a voice rang out from behind her as blonde hair swept over her shoulder and two strong arms pulled her in close against a strongly built chest.

She froze, eyes staring at Harry and Ron who were looking at her like she had five heads. Harry went for his wand, as did Ron.

"Don't!" she said quietly. "There is no way for you to hex him without hitting me, he isn't stupid. Just wait. What do you want Draco?" she said quietly.

"I just thought I would return the favor and save you from these torturous men," he said with mirth. Harry and Ron stared at her in wonderment.

The hint wasn't lost on her. Narcissa was fine, or okay at least. Lucius had been on time and was able to ward off the attack. Perhaps even take a few of the attackers. Good.

"They are my friends, quite unlike yourself so why would I need saving?" she said with a mocking "damsel in distress" feint in her voice.

"Draco? You are calling Malfoy by his first name?" Ron said, growing red around the face. Draco ignored him and continued talking.

"I'd like to take you to Hogsmeade tomorrow, would that be acceptable, _Hermione?_" he said with a wry grin sent at the two boys.

"If you leave those two monsters and Pansy at home, it would be alright with me," she said. "We can finish your Potions tutoring so you are ready for your NEWT's," she said giving Ron a pointed look.

"Good. You can talk Potions while I take you to Stella's Salon, I took the liberty of booking an appointment for you," he said smoothly. "Shall I meet you in the Main Entryway, say 9, after breakfast?"

"Fine Draco, I will see you then. Please unhand me," she said crossing her arms over her chest. "And do not forget your Potions work, or I am not going."

"I bid your leave, _my Lady,_" he said dripping sarcasm. "Until tomorrow, Mudblood!" He strode down the hallway flicking his hair over his shoulder.

"Hermione!" Harry spat at her. "How could you agree to that?"

"Harry, when are you going to learn that bad things change people? Look at all the bad things that have happened to you. Would you be the person you are if they hadn't?" she asked tapping her foot impatiently. "Draco had to face his future and did not like where it led. He is not a Death Eater, just get it out of your head! Now I have class in two hours and Professor Snape and I have papers left to grade." She turned leaving the two boys to contemplate the bombshell she just dropped on them.

"She hasn't been the same since she was attacked," Ron said staring at her retreating form.

"Yes, you are right," Harry said. "I see the hurt in her eyes all the time, and she's acting so strangely, I barely know who she is anymore."

"Yeah, and since the attack she hasn't wanted anything to do with me," Ron said petulantly.

"Ron, she was beaten and raped by Death Eaters. You can't expect her to act like she used to! She's going to be different, especially the way she thinks about men. Not to mention she's an Instructor now, she cannot exactly date a student," Harry said admonishing his friend.

"She showed plenty of interest in Malfoy!" Ron whined.

"She cannot date him either, and you know how Hermione is about stuff like that! Malfoy walked up on her, not the other way around! Ron you are being ridiculous and jealous," Harry said shaking his head. "Getting that way will only drive Hermione away from you. She needs her friends, not some lovesick boy right now. I know you two were almost an item last year, but this changed things," Harry said. "She is right, bad things do change people. Just not all the time for the better."

"Yeah, it just stinks like a bad Chizpurfle contamination," he sighed. "And it's not what I want."

"That is just it Ron, it's not what _you_ want. Time to think of someone _other_ than yourself," he said. "That probably goes for me too."

"Where do you think she got the money for those awesome robes?" Ron said raising a brow. "Wow!"

"Probably from her parent's estate, since they passed and all," Harry said shrugging.

"Oh, yeah," Ron said shaking his head.

--

In her room, Hermione sat reading the Daily Prophet. Her hands were shaking and she was pallid white staring at the front page. She swallowed hard as the knock came fiercely upon her door.

"Enter," she said laying down the paper.

"Miss Granger, we have a… what is it?" he said looking harshly at her features.

"Malfoy Manor burned to the ground last night," she said flipping around the paper so he could see the photograph of the Manor engulfed in flames, the flames moving and licking over the ancient home. "They found two charred human remains and several burned house elves in the rubble this morning."

Severus took the long strides into her room and snatched up the paper.

"Someone needs to talk to Draco," she said smoothly. She remembered what he had said, but she didn't know if his message was before or after this happened. Only Draco's response could tell that.

Severus scanned over the paper and dropped it, making the fast paced walk to the door and out of her room.

"I cannot save you this time, Lucius," she whispered quietly and sunk down in her chair in thought.

--


	7. Chapter 7

The Wounded

Chapter 7

The fire had claimed everything that had once been Malfoy Manor. Severus was named by the school as his godfather and head of his House to assist him in the burial procedures for his parents. Hermione had to take on all of the classes herself, once again while this was happening. She was beginning to wonder if Draco would ever be allowed just to be a 17-year-old boy.

"Can you believe that Malfoy was not in class again?" she heard Ron talking to Ginny in the hall outside of Potions.

"Things have been rather peaceful without him around. But it's not right to talk like that. Both his parents were just killed in a fire, Ron," Ginny admonished him with a tight smack to his arm.

"Yeah, whatever," Ron mused.

"Ronald Weasley!" Hermione spat out. Her eyes were on fire. And both Ginny and Ron backed up a step seeing their furious friend storm from the Potions classroom. "I used to think Malfoy was the most inconsiderate prick in this school, but even he did not dare speak badly when my parents died! You have nerve! What if all of your family died in an instant? Hmm? Would you like him talking about you? Wondering where you were instead of in class? Hmm?"

"Hermione! Listen to what you are saying!" Ron said exasperated. "This is Malfoy we are talking about! Damn, you think you got it for the bastard!"

"What's the matter Ron? Jealous? Funny, you have gone from not talking to me at all, to making wild accusations! I have no feelings for Malfoy, but I would not wish this on my worst enemy! Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy may not have been our friends by any stretch of the imagination, but they were his parents! Would you have dared to make these type of comments when my parents were killed? Did you offer up anything to help me through then? No. So I suppose this should not surprise me you self centered, egotistical prat! Get away from me before I really make you beg MacGonagall for mercy!" Hermione hissed.

Ginny realized what was going on. Hermione could relate to the pain that Malfoy was going through and Ron had just firmly stuck his foot in his mouth again. She tried to pull Ron away, but Ron was not going to have any of it.

"Hermione! You listen up! Before all this happened you and I were, well, I thought we were gonna be something! Now, I don't even know who you are!" Ron spat out.

_Great Ron, I didn't know your mouth was big enough for both of your shoes,_ Ginny thought as she tried harder to pull her brother away from a seething Hermione Granger.

"Ron, I am a teacher. I cannot date a student. I will say this only once, and when I am done you are to leave me alone, are we clear?

"You were not there when my life went to hell in a hand basket. You wouldn't even talk to me, now you are standing here crying about a teenage relationship that never bloomed? Oh get over yourself! I got over you the first three days when you were not there to help me get through all of it.

"You spread what happened all over Gryffindor Tower in your misery, and I was left to live with the consequences. Now you are crying over our relationship? Get away from me before I hex you.

" These conversations are highly inappropriate, the next time I catch you whining about Malfoy or me, I will deduct points and perhaps a detention or two with Filch will cool your hormones!" she spat harshly.

Shock let Ginny pull Ron away. Hermione tapped her wand on her arm as she watched him retreat from the dungeons.

"Well done," came from behind her as Pansy moved up next to her. "You have officially split up the Golden Trio."

"Shut up Miss Parkinson, I do not believe I gave you countenance to include yourself on a conversation about my personal life," she said harshly turning her glaring eyes at the Slytherin woman before her. "Surely you have something to do or do I need to find something for you?"

Pansy did not say anything, she just moved past her and into the Potions Classroom.

Yes, Hermione finally knew what it was to be like Severus Snape.

--

Hermione went to the funeral, but stayed to the back of the crowd. Severus, Goyle Sr., Crabbe Sr., Draco, Mr. Parkinson, and Blaise Zabini served as the pallbearers carrying the caskets down one at a time to the family vault. It was still intact, and Draco already had people clearing away the rubble from the house to have it rebuilt. It would never be the centuries old home it had once been, but Draco was insistent it would be rebuilt.

Draco was a mess before it was over. He had not shed one tear, and he had remained standing while his mother and father's graves were interned. He looked as if he had not slept in a week, and probably hadn't. Pansy Parkinson had tried to be a supportive person at his side only to be shrugged off.

The investigation into the burning of the house turned up that the house had been attacked and Lucius and Narcissa were dead before the house burned. The remnants of their wands were found quite some distance away from their bodies, suggesting that they had been disarmed. The bodies were too badly burned to know how they had died.

Aurors stood guard around the blonde wizard. Not leaving him a moment's peace with his family grave. As soon as the ceremony was done they ushered him off with Snape to the safety of the school.

Hermione went to the graves, leaving white lilies on both sarcophagi. While no names were etched just yet on them, it would not be long before these bodies laid rest to the rest of the world as Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy. The tragedy of the last true remaining line of Merlin would be known by the entirety of the Wizarding World.

"Goodbye Lucius, and thank you," she said softly.

"I do not understand what you are thanking him for," the silky drawl came from behind her.

"You would probably not understand, but I am thanking him for being himself," she said quietly. "It actually eased me in certain times of pain."

"We need to get back to the school," he said indignantly. She was right, he didn't understand. She stood, and took his arm. Snape guided her to the apparation point, and apparated them both back to Hogwarts gates. Walking with her back into the school in his long, lengthy strides that she had to take two steps to each of his one.

Once they reached his chamber doors, he turned to her. "Draco is within, do you wish to see him?"

"Only if he is in mind for company, I do not wish to intrude," she said politely.

Severus nodded and opened the door, letting himself in. A few moments later he returned and gestured her within. She did not see him in the sitting room and looked at Severus.

"My bedchamber," he said quietly. She nodded and went into the room. Draco sat, eyes cast into the fire. One knee was lifted up, and his arm draped over it lazily. The other he leaned on. There was something very cold in his eyes, she couldn't quite make out.

"Mother is dead," he said coldly as she walked in. She moved to the chair near his and sat, just letting him ramble. "That is what he wanted wasn't it?"

"I do not know his intentions Draco," she said quietly. "I only know that Wormtail would not have been able to get away with as much as he had without consent."

"He'll come after me now, won't he?" Draco said as a tear slid down his cheek.

"No," she said softly. "He will not. You are free Draco."

"Free," he repeated. "Free to do what? If he wins, I lose, if he loses, I lose. I am the son of a Death Eater. That is all I will ever be seen as."

"No Draco, that is not true," she said quietly. "If he wins, yes, that is all you will ever be seen as." She did not elaborate, and he turned his eyes to hers as if dawn had just broken over Marblehead.

"Potter cannot win this," he said firmly. "Father said that Potter could not win. I believe him."

"I believe you are right," she said quietly.

"Then we are lost," he said sighing.

"No, we are not," she said looking over to him to catch his attention again. "Remember, I do not hold much in the way of prophecy to be accurate. There is always a hidden agenda in every prophecy. Trelawney's prophecy just seems a bit too strait forward. There is another who fits the criteria."

"Not Potter?" he said canting his head to the side.

"Not Potter," she said softly as she caught his eyes once again. "Now, live your life Draco. Your parents would not want you to wallow in self-pity. They would want you to live, and live well. Strive to do the things they could not, and make your mark on the Wizarding World in ways they could not. And above all else, stay true to yourself. Not your father, not your mother, but to yourself."

"I will try and remember that," he said. "Why did you stay at father's grave? He tried to kill you."

"Tried being the operative word there," she said raising a brow. "Do you doubt your father's ability so much that he would have missed on something as weak as myself at the time?"

"You almost died," he said trying to defend his father's image.

"Almost, but not quite. And your father very well could have just used the killing curse if he wanted me dead," she said keeping his gaze. "Your father knew there was more to the story than just the meaningless attacks. Trying to strike fear into the rest of the wizarding world by attacking muggles seems awfully cowardly, doesn't it?"

"Of course it does," Draco said with a derisive snort.

"I think your father was genius enough to realize that," she said looking off to the fire. "He stayed true to himself, in a time when I needed desperately for him just to be himself. It gave me the stability I needed to survive being taken by the Dark Lord. And for that, I needed to thank him. He never would have taken my thanks in life."

"I am not sure I understand," he said calmly.

"Let us just say, he would never and never did sully himself with a Mudblood. Instead he made sure that I survived when he should have been sullying his family pride by his Lord's orders," she tried to say it in the best way she could. Draco caught the hint and looked at her with pensive eyes. Seeing no deception, he sighed.

"Shall we be blunt?" he watched as she nodded. "Basically you are saying my father didn't take you when you were taken and well… raped. Right?"

"Right," she said quietly. "He was explicitly ordered to partake, so he faked it and whispered in my ear all the little things that would make the Lord let me live."

"So he wanted you to live," he said looking back to the fire. "I will respect that. Is that why he bought you the wand, and gave you some of the heirloom jewelry? So everyone would think that you were his whore?"

"I believe he was going to try and convince the Lord to give me to him. But the Lord had other plans for me. He just let me keep the jewelry. The wand was a gift for saving you," she said quietly. "I told him it was too much, but Severus said Lucius would be insulted if I tried to return it. If you would like the jewelry back, I perfectly understand. I certainly have not earned it in the way the world will think."

"Keep it," he said quietly raising a hand to her. "Father wanted you to have it for some ungodly reason. He wanted you to live, and I do not know that reason either. I'm hoping to ask him soon."

"What?" she turned her eyes to him suddenly.

"Father is alive, mother is dead," he said shivering. "The family heirloom ring has not come to me. It would automatically if he died. It has not."

"Do you know where he is?" she said. "Wait, do not say anything more."

"We have to go, now!" Severus said sternly, hissing as he grabbed his arm. Hermione stood and went to him quickly.

"Draco, stay here, and do not tell anyone about this," she said sternly. He gave a sharp nod and looked back into the bedroom fireplace.

--

"You summoned, My Lord," she said kissing the hem of his robe. Severus waited for her to finish before lifting the hem to kiss his robe himself.

"Tell me of the funeral," he ordered.

She went through every detail of the funeral arrangements, even down to her staying a few minutes later, not to be dishonest.

"Bellatrix said she heard you thanking him," he hissed. "And since we know that he did not pleasure you, he did not take you, and he did not desire you, I want to know what you were thanking him for!"

Hermione pulled out her wand and presented it to her Lord across both of her palms.

"It was a gift from Mr. Malfoy, sir, for getting his son and old friend pardoned," she said quietly.

"Has the boy dealt with their deaths?" the Lord asked.

"As well as can be expected," she sighed.

"I see you care for him," he said with a chuckle.

"No, but I do identify with his pain," she said honestly. "We have this much in common."

"Ah yes, you must still hate me for that," he said with an amused hiss.

"No," she said calmly. "I hate the Aurors, for not stopping you. It was their job to protect my parents. But it has been liberating since they have been gone, I am free in the wizarding world now. Not torn between two worlds."

"Well said," he bemused. "I have summoned you to tell you why they were killed."

"Yes sire," she said still kneeling, her foot was going numb.

"Rise," she privately thanked the fact he was reading surface thoughts.

"Thank you Lord," she said standing. Severus rose at her side and she looked at the red eyes of the man who had changed everything about her views on a world she once held as a magical mystery.

"Lucius was becoming troublesome. He demanded retribution for Wormtail's loyalty. He demanded I leave his Narcissa alone," he watched her eyes for a response. She complied with a sarcastic roll of her eyes. "No Death Eater has the right to make such a demand."

"May I ask a question, my Lord?" she said quietly.

"Of course," he said rolling his fingers over his wand.

"Did you order Wormtail to kill Narcissa the night I found her?" she asked sincerely.

"No, of course not," he said sternly. "He was to take her, nothing more. But that does not matter now that they are both dead."

"Where is Wormtail now?" she asked submissively.

"In the dungeon," he replied warily. "Why?"

"I wish to recompense him with a bit of pain he took from her," she said sweetly. "And a little of my own that I suffered to prove myself to you."

"Oh you vicious little minx, who would have thought you so vengeful," he slithered out. "You may do what you will."

"Can I leave him to die?" she said smirking.

"Of course," he drawled.

"Can I have Severus' help?" she said smirking.

"Of course," he drawled barely interested.

"Thank you," she said bowing her head.

"Severus," he turned his glare to the black eyed man at her side. "You have been freed from your bond. Narcissa was forced to free you before she was so demurely removed from this earth."

"Thank you My Lord," he said smoothly without emotion.

"I expect you to take care of my Mudblood, she will prove useful in the future," he said smoothly. "But I think I will wait on your marriage. I may not marry you to her at all. I know you would not sully yourself with the likes of her. Just barely a woman, yet so tantalizing, so alive, so intelligent, so many things that you want."

"Do you wish me to leave her alone, My Lord?" he said with a smirk on his face.

"No, do what you will with her, if that is nothing, then so be it. She is to be used, any way you see fit. But do not leave her incapable of meeting my demands," he replied.

"I understand," he said with a smirk.

"Yes, I think you do. Tonight should be the time you take what you want, am I understood?" he said sternly.

"Of course," he said with a nod.

"I do not think you do," and Hermione watched as Snape endured his torture to ensure that he would do as he was ordered. Hermione could not let herself be noticed. Bellatrix went to add her own punishment into Snape's and Hermione rounded on Bellatrix, putting her sharp-ended wand into her neck.

"I would not intrude on our Lord's pleasures if I were you, Bellatrix," she said with a hiss. "If he is too damaged to do what he must tonight, it would very much change the course of events, would it not?"

Bella lowered her wand, and Hermione stepped away as the first of a bout of Cruciatus Curses struck her in the back dropping her to her knees. But she did not yell out, cry or even whimper for whomever was the caster. It was not strong enough to be the Dark Lord's curse. Rodolphus was the only other it could have been that would have reacted to Bella's being threatened. Another was added, and Hermione curled in on herself but still did not cry out.

"No! Stop!" a hoarse voice called. She did not recognize it. She was too busy reviewing the potion ingredients necessary in her mind to make Dreamless Sleep potion. Inside her mind, she could shut them all out, all the pain was surreal and dismissed as she reviewed books in her mind's eye. "Stop!" the hoarse cry came again as pressure on her body told her that she was being shielded. She indulged herself to feel the warmth of the being atop her body.

"My, my, my, what is this Severus?" Bella cackled. "Adoration and protection of the little Mudblood?"

"Bella," was the entirety of what the Lord had to say and she backed away quietly. "Severus, explain yourself."

"She will not recover well enough," he hoarsely spat out. "I cannot take what I wish if she is… broken in mind. Look at her, she is inside her own mind, hiding from the pain!"

There was a silence, and at the familiar tingle into her mind, she allowed her Lord to see the image of her sitting in a comfortable chair with a cup of tea and large volume she seemed enrapt in, and then firmly shut everything out of her mind entirely. Snape was making a play for her sanity, Hermione had to act the part.

"My, my, she is indeed shutting out the pain," he said with a smirk. "How wondrous. Snape take her from here, break her, and break that mind of hers open like bookbinding. I want to know everything in it when we next meet. For I shall be whole when we meet next. I want her pliable, but do not remove her personality until after I am whole. Do you understand? I want Hermione Granger, but I want to make her my puppet," he said with a smirk. "And you are so perfect a choice for that job."

"Yes, My Lord," Severus said with a coughing laugh. The cough was caused by his "punishment". But the laugh was sincere. Now came the test of what side Severus Snape would truly take.

Snape worked his way to his feet. With a Mobilicorpus spell he moved Hermione from the forefront and back to the apparition point.

--

Back inside his quarters, he put Hermione down on the floor. She gasped feeling the cold stone of the dungeons, Snape walked over her toward the potion cabinet.

"Where is it?" he hissed at her.

"Where is what?" she answered staggering to her feet.

"Do not get coy with me," he hissed. "Unless you wish me to truly show you what our Lord wanted."

"Oh do give it up Snape," she drawled. "It is in my room. In the fake drawer of my nightstand."

Snape walked past her again and into her room, he had been listening in at one point because he knew her password. _Evil man_, she thought with a smirk. He came back holding two vials of potion and presented one to her. She took it and uncorked it, drinking down the contents. It tasted heavily of Anise, as it was supposed to.

"How did you know?" she laughed as he took down his potion and his demeanor quickly returned to normal from his overtly stiff nature just to stay standing.

"The tome you were looking at in your mind, the page you were looking at was for this potion, but you really must come up with a better name for it," he drawled.

"We have to get word to the Order," she said quietly.

"Do you honestly think Moody will care to listen?" he said quietly. "No, we have to wait and use the opportunity. He does not want us on the battlefield, that is why he chose tonight to have me break you."

"Oh of all the biased, pig-headed…"

"Those things he may be, but he is also right. We cannot be on the battlefield, and neither can Draco apparently," he said raising an eyebrow. "He wants Draco angry enough to fight on the "wrong" side of the battle. There is probably some sort of clause that everything in Narcissa's will goes to Bellatrix should something happen to Draco before the reading of her will. If Draco dies tonight, he will get all of the Malfoy fortunes."

"Possibly," she chuckled. "But he has to get a hold of Harry first."

"Right," he smirked. "You go to Potter, get him stowed away somewhere safe, somewhere without him getting into trouble. Perhaps you can convince young Miss Weaselbee to help you."

"Oh Sod Off, Snape," she said rolling her eyes. "I know exactly how to get Harry to stay out of trouble, without insinuating sex on the poor virgin." She got up and headed for the door.

"Hermione," Snape called. She snapped her head to him; he had never used her given name. It was always Professor Granger, or Miss Granger or some derogatory term. "Be careful."

"You too," she said softly before she was gone out the door.

--

"Harry! I need you to listen to me! I know you think that this is where you need to be, but it isn't! I need you to listen!" she begged as Harry started making his way down the shifting stairs.

"He's full of glee, he's coming here, what is there to know?" he snarled at her turning on her fully. "What do you know?" He was being very demanding, but he was entitled to some semblance of truth.

"Do you have up your Occlumens?" she said firmly.

"Yes," he said crossing his arms as the stairs shifted again, giving her a few minutes anyway.

"You cannot kill him Harry," she said holding his arm. "If you do, you will die."

"Then I die Hermione!" he said as he tried to wretch away his arm.

"No! You will die, and he will live! I cannot give more detail than that, I just know. It's not you who is supposed to do it!" she said holding firmly to his arm.

"If it is not I, then who will? Not just anyone can kill him Hermione!" he said waving his arm free at last.

"Harry, please trust me. I have already spoken to the person who is supposed to do it. He knew, he's known all along. He's been being prepared just like you have, just in secret. Harry trust me on this. Dumbledore just let you take the fall so Voldemort would only come after you," she said with a soft sigh. "Fight if you must, but if you see him, run away! Do not face him or we are all doomed."

"Are you saying Dumbledore just used me!" he hissed angrily.

"Yes, Harry, that is exactly what I am saying. Ron and I will fight at your side, but you must let the one who is supposed to kill him, kill him. You cannot do it, he is made of you, and thus, you are his last means of survival," she said softly. "Please trust me Harry."

"Alright," he sighed. "Get the DA, we're going to fight."

"You got it," she said with a smirk.

--

There was smoke pouring off of the battlefield. Black cloaks were swirling and taking down numbers left and right. Students that were not prepared to fight were swept away into the dungeons to hide. Those that were willing along with instructors, ghosts and whatever else the magic of Hogwarts could muster were beginning to stain the battlefield red with their blood.

Hermione was cloaked and covered, able to keep her spells from bringing too much attention to herself. The Disillusionment charm was working wonders for keeping anyone from noticing her on the field. If Voldemort noticed she was here too soon, all would be lost.

She watched in horror as Greyback and Remus squared off, only to have Bill Weasley join in on Remus' side. Wormtail was running rampant through the field cowardly attacking those that were already down to make sure they were dead and looting the dead bodies.

Moody was deflecting curses and hexes like they were nothing. She mentally complimented him on his prowess, but his leadership skills desperately needed honing as he sent many an Auror to their demise against enemies they could not handle.

Minerva stayed in the school, keeping the wards up to keep the Death Eaters out. Hermione used her stealth and hidden identity to take out Crabbe, and Goyle. She relished in their death being agonizingly painful and slow as she used slicing hexes on their Achilles tendons so they could not run, then sliced open their forearms to let them slowly bleed out. Their screams for help only added ardor to the battlefield.

Draco made his appearance on the battlefield in his father's cloak, in all of his father's regal arrogance and demeanor as he began casting Unforgivables like they were a second nature to him. It did not bode over well with the Inner Circle of the Dark Lord's followers that he was fighting on the Order's side of the war. Using his spells to protect students that a month ago he would have rather seen dead anyway.

Harry poured out onto the battlefield eliciting slicing hexes, burning hexes, counter curses and defense spells. Ron was beside him throwing out a few punches to go along with his brutish spell casting. Ginny stood at Harry's side, casting some of the nastiest of spells. She really was sorted into the wrong house; she truly did belong in Slytherin despite her red haired heritage.

The fight began to concentrate on getting to Harry. Good. He was playing his part. The Death Eaters seemed to coil and maneuver, this was a well-practiced dance they had worked out to use in this battle. Taught in pain, and embraced whole-heartedly it set them up for the fall. Moody took no time at all deducing the best way to deal with the coiling of the Death Eaters to protect their Master, but Hermione could tell that was part of the plot.

Dumbledore had decided this scenario long ago. And now it was playing out in full detail, piece by piece. Harry cast out spell after spell, keeping them at bay. None of them were trying to kill him, and that left them vulnerable to attacks. The rest of the DA saw that there was safety hiding behind Harry, and they did. Using Harry as a shield they cast spell after spell at the oncoming enemy.

Hermione put her years of study to use. Casting away her disguise as the final moments of the battle were coming into play, as Snape did the same from the other side of the field. The Whomping Willow was out of energy to Whomp with. It was almost time. As Voldemort passed the tree, heading for the doors of Hogwarts, he caught sight of Snape.

Everything seemed to move in slow motion. Voldemort's wand pointed at the Professor, as another spell was launched at the Dark Lord from the children on the stairs causing the Lord to have to stop his spell on Snape and deflect it. Snape cast another spell, but it was just as easily deflected as if the Lord wanted to stifle a yawn. His ugly visage seemed less than entertained. Hermione launched her own spell that caused him to turn and look at her with a smile on those lips.

As time slowed even further, the Dark Lord Voldemort turned his bright red eyes on Harry Potter. Harry had himself ready and braced for battle. The moans of the dying and the dead around the battlefield seemed to deepen as the recording slowed to nothing. Voldemort raised his wand to the boy, who seemed unable to keep his eyes away from the red-eyed snake. As the words formed on the Dark Lord's lips a bright green flash overcame his form. Hermione jumped and ran for Harry, shoving him out of the way of the Dark Lord's final spell as it struck one disheveled and dying Luna Lovegood who was hiding behind Harry. She screamed and tore at her skin as Voldemort's body crumpled into a shivering mass of death throws.

Into view came one shaking and shuddering Neville Longbottom, his body and form having been shielded by Lucius Malfoy. Neville's wand was still smoking from the intensity of the Killing Curse he had thrown at the Dark Lord's back. He had climbed from his hiding place under the Whomping Willow. Just as Dumbledore had taught him to, just as the plan had called for. Just as Dumbledore's penseive told her she had let happen.

All Death Eaters fell, as the mark on their arms burned. Hermione looked on in horror as Snape fell to his knees, then to the ground as his screams added atop the nuance of all the other living Death Eaters. Neville cradled Lucius' form as Draco made his way across the battlefield to his father's side.

Luna fell dead; her body had not been preened to take on the Dark Lord's essence. It was not ready to hold that kind of power. Her mind not ready to face that kind of atrocity. A dark cloud rose from her body, and it was then that MacGonagall struck. Casting a curse of unknown power, the darkness was dissolved and dissipated into nothing more than ash. The scream of the Dark Lord could be heard over all of the Wizarding World.

Hermione found her feet, and ran to Snape. His body was shivering on the ground in an agony never meant for any man to live through. She curled him onto her lap, and pushed away his hair from his face.

"Severus," she said with tears in her eyes. "Severus, hold on!"

"No," he said softly. Rising up his right arm, he tucked her hair behind her ear. "It is over, Hermione." His body shuddered. Harry and Ron came running over to her and stopped short seeing her holding Snape so intimately. "You really do remind me of Lily…" his body was trembling now. Sweat lined his brow and his eyes glassed over. "You are …" he swallowed hard. "You are…strong my Lioness…" he whispered as he passed out from the pain. The boys watched as she panicked, pulling him up against her, trying to feel for a pulse, trying desperately to hear his heartbeat.

"Don't you leave you snarky bastard! No! Don't you do it!" she screamed. Holding him to her chest she tried desperately to make him hold on as tightly as she was. His form was without any elasticity, and just seemed to go wherever she threw it. She pulled him up against her chest and buried her face in his shoulder. Tears rolling down her face as she held onto him tightly. She saw Harry standing there, and looked at him with pleading eyes. Ron took off running to go find help. Harry knelt down and checked Snape for any signs of life.

"Ron went for help," he said softly.

"He cannot die," she said softly. "I need him alive Harry."

"Ron will get some help for him Hermione," he tried to reassure her.

Moody walked over; looking at the scene before him he rolled his good eye.

"Let him go, Granger," he said gruffly. "It's over."

"Fuck you Moody!" she hissed.

"Moody?" Harry said quietly.

"Let him die," Moody said sternly. "Him and Malfoy both deserve no less."

"Moody!" Harry stood up and looked at the old man before him in horror. "Unless you want there to be one more casualty on this battlefield today, I suggest you move away, now!" Harry threatened with every intention in his eyes.

"There is no help coming for them," Moody said, turning on his pegged leg and walking away. "They are as good as dead anyway."

"Harry, help me," she said softly.

"Stay here," he said as he ran off toward the school.

--

Never did she think she would see the day that the students of Hogwarts made such a statement. Numbers of them too great to bother counting carried the near dead bodies of two former Death Eaters, Lucius Malfoy and Severus Snape into the main doors of the school.

Nymphadora Tonks watched as the students that were able, walked with the bodies of their most hated professor, and most hated student's father above their heads into the school. When the doors closed behind them in a loud bang, it was clear that the students who would write this history would tell of two men, clouded in darkness, that saw light at the end of the day.


	8. Chapter 8

Wounded

Chapter 8

Epilogue

"Mr. Malfoy, do you honestly expect us to believe that you have been working with Miss Granger, as a spy for the Order, since she was taken last summer?" Minister Barrows asked with such sarcasm that it dripped from the walls like marmalade.

"I expect that you gave me Vertiserum to ensure truth in my testimony," he said firmly. "I have been helping since the first day she was taken, yes."

"Did you know she was a spy for the Order?" the Minister asked.

"Yes," he said firmly. "When she was summoned the second time, she made me aware of such facts."

"Did He Who Shall Not Be Named know this as well?" he asked.

"Of course," he said firmly. "But Miss Granger did well to play off her role as being abandoned by the Order, and willing to serve our Lord's needs."

"Were you witness to this?" the Minister said almost shocked.

"Everytime except her last, when I was supposedly dead," he answered smoothly.

--

"Miss Granger, why did you chose to take up the role of spy?" the Minister asked.

"I did not choose such a fate," she said with a tearful eye, letting the tears come. "I was told that if I did not do it, I would go to Azkaban because it proved I was on the Dark Lord's side because I had survived my attack."

"And who told you this?" the Minister said offering his handkerchief. She took it thankfully with a small smile and wiped her eyes. "Alastar Moody, and yourself sir."

"Do you think we were wrong to do so?" he said his chin up in a firm arrogance.

"Yes sir," she said softly. "I lost my parents in that attack, I was never allowed to mourn them, I wasn't allowed to settle their affairs, I was forced to be raped over and over again by countless men just to get information for you."

"Why did you not stop when Snape was returned?" the Minister said incredulously trying to discredit her story.

"Moody told me that if I did, both Snape and I would go to Azkaban," she said quietly. "And we would both get the Kiss for being Death Eaters."

"Were you ever a Death Eater, Miss Granger?" he asked.

"No sir," she said quietly.

"Tell me, how many muggles died at your hands Miss Granger, as you partook of the activities of Death Eaters?" the Minister said incredulously.

"None sir," she said quietly. "I never killed anyone until the confrontation at Hogwarts."

"None? I have numerous reports of you being sighted at Death Eater rallies and revels," he smirked at the Wizengamot.

"I never killed anyone sir until the final confrontation. You gave me Vertiserum, and I cannot be lying to you!" she said getting indignant. "I never killed a muggle! I am a Muggle Born Witch!"

"More like a whore," the Minister muttered.

"Objection!" one of the Barristers said firmly.

"Retracted!" Minister Barrows said firmly.

"What is your relationship with Lucius Malfoy," he said firmly.

"He helped me," she said softly. "He made sure that the others didn't get to me all the time. He never hurt me, except once, pulling my hair to get me away from Vincent Crabbe Sr., he had to make it look like he had first dibs on me. But he never did anything inappropriate to me. He made sure I got home safely after I was punished by the Dark Lord."

"And what did these punishments include?" the Minister asked. She could see where this was going. If he couldn't attack her testimony, he was going to attack her character.

"The Cruciatus Curse, numerous times, sometimes breaking my fingers, sometimes rape," she said softly.

"And did you go to the Dark Lord's bed willingly?" he said sneering at her.

"No, I mean, yes, but no. I was never willing, Moody kept making me go back," she said softly. "If anything, you and Moody were the ones doing the raping, the Dark Lord was just the one doing the act. You knew he would!"

"Do you not see why we had to do this!" the Minister had to save face now.

"Yes sir, but my life is ruined now," she said softly. "I will never marry, I will never have a loving family with children, all because you needed information that was utterly useless to you in the end. You weren't even there for the final battle! You hid here! You are a coward on high!"

"Miss Granger!" the Minister said firmly.

"I am. Not sorry! It is the Vertiserum, I cannot help it!" she said tears pouring from her eyes. "You are a snake, no better than Moody or the Dark Lord in the way you used me! Now I will pay for all time with the scars of the Dark Mark on my back because they can never be taken away now!"

--

"It is the decision of the High Court of the Wizengamot that Lucius Malfoy, having partaken his role in the defeat of He Who Shall Not Be Named, be pardoned for all past crimes associated with his role as a Death Eater. One quarter of his total assets and lands shall be taken by this Court to recompense his victims."

"It is also this Courts decision that Minister Barrows, Alastar Moody and Assistant Carols be held accountable for the crimes against Hermione Jane Granger. All assets of Minister Barrows shall be donated post haste to Hermione Jane Granger, along with all assets of The Zabini Family and all assets of the Goyle and Crabbe Families. Minister Barrows, Alastar Moody, and Assistant Carols will all be taken immediately to Azkaban Prison to await trial."

"The Court also finds that Severus Snape has acted completely within the terms of his arrangement with the Wizengamot, and his pardon still stands. All Snape lands and properties shall be henceforth reinstated. Also he shall be given all lands and assets of the Parkinson family, the Winslow family, and the Bullstrode Family as recompense for the years served to defeat the menace to all Wizarding Society."

"The Court also finds that Draco Malfoy has acted completely within the terms of his arrangement with the Wizengamot, and his pardon still stands."

"The Court has deemed that Elliot Ollivander, Vincent Crabbe Senior, Sean Goyle Senior, Bellatrix Black Lestrange, Rodolphus Lestrange, David Parkinson, Diana Blackroot Parkinson, Andrea Shiligot," _and so many more names, I am going to fall asleep if this keeps going…_Hermione thought to herself. "are guilty as charged of his involvement with the Death Eaters and He Who Shall Not Be Named. They will be remanded to Azkaban for the rest of their natural life, or until another sentence shall be imposed by this Court."

"The Court also forgives all person fighting on the side of the Order of the Phoenix for any Unforgivable Curses that were required during the final battle."

"That is all on this day of March, 15th, nineteen hundred and ninety nine, so say I so say us all!" the resounding cheer from the room made the growls of Minister Barrows, Mad Eye and Carols unheard as they were taken into custody.

Lucius grabbed Hermione around the waist and swung her around tightly. It overall, was a victory for him. He was free, Narcissa was vindicated, and his son was free. When he put her down, he kissed her soundly on each cheek before Harry and the rest of her classmates hugged her tightly. It had taken over a year to get to court; Lucius and Severus had been on "house arrest" at Hogwarts in Severus' chambers.

Neville walked forward, and looked at Hermione with shy eyes.

"Thank you," he said quietly. "For everything."

"Do not thank me Neville," she said with a smile. "You did it. You made it happen."

"I cannot thank you enough for everything you did, the potion worked. My parents are still in Saint Mungo's, but they get better every day," he said softly.

"Then why are you still here?" she said with a smile. "Go on!"

Neville didn't need to hear that twice, he ran out of the room in a hurry.

--

"May I have a word, Miss Granger?" the silken voice of Severus came up behind her. The celebration downstairs in the Grand Ballroom had proven too much for Hermione. Too many people, too crowded, and not her cup of tea, she just had to get away from it all. So here he found her on the balcony overlooking Lucius' lands.

"Of course, Professor," she said without turning around. "By all means, but if any of the gaggle from downstairs followed you, I swear I will jump," she said with an amused laugh.

"Not that I would blame you," he said moving to the railing. "I have a simple question. Why?"

"That could pertain to a great many things, Professor," she said quietly as she sipped from her flute of champagne. "It tastes so much better without the contraceptive in it." She smirked.

"Yes, it does," he said looking at the lands. "Why did you not let Moody kill me? I made it clear I had no wish to live."

"No, you made it clear that I reminded you of Lily," she said quietly. "Plus, you called me your Lioness again, I was not about to let you die without getting my peace in on that matter."

"Did I say that?" he said raising a brow. "I must have truly been delirious in my pain."

"Surely," she said with a smirk. She felt a hand on her shoulder and her whole body stiffened.

"It is over Hermione," he said softly. "You were vindicated today."

"I was given pity today," she said softly. "You were vindicated."

"It was not your fault," he said sternly. "You must be able to move on with your life now. Many men will seek you out now that you hold so much title and lands."

"Pity," she said quietly. "I do not want someone who seeks my fortunes."

"You are an ungrateful know it all, you know that?" he said removing his hand stiffly.

"And you are a snarky git, but that is alright, I will wait," she said sipping her flute again.

"What are you waiting for Hermione?" he said looking at her. She set the flute down on the railing and turned to him.

"Someone who understands my scars are part of me, not something to get over. Someone that understands I have a mind and I am going to use it, not just be a house witch. Someone that understands that I am an insufferable Know It All, and knows the War was not just a page in a history book. Someone that sees me just the way I am, not this trussed up woman who suffered at the hands of the Dark Lord," she said with a smile. "Someone that sees that I am more than my scars and my past."

"Miss Granger," he said sternly. "You should know by now there are no happy endings."

"I know that," she said. "Nothing will change the past, but I have a say now on my future. And if you cannot see past the criteria I have listed, then I shall just have to wait and see if there is anyone else who possibly could."

He stopped short, as if all the air had been compressed out of his person, and he could not get his lungs to respond. He watched as she slowly turned and looked up to his eyes. Her eyes were wide and open for his interpretations of her words. A soft smile crept across her lips.

"I am not a man any woman should want, Miss Granger. Surely you have had too much champagne. I shall escort you…"

"Severus stop it," she said firmly. "Stop running away from me."

"You do not know what you are asking," he said firmly. "I am not a kind man, and I will never be gentile. I suggest you take up Lucius' offer."

"Lucius is only looking for public favor. He does not care for me at all. He will not seek to protect me from the scrutiny and pity of others. And I do not want the public eye that comes with him. I most certainly do not wish to marry him," she said rolling her eyes. "He knows that. I know it, we already discussed it."

"And what would you want with me?" he said sternly.

"Intelligent conversation, a man who is ten times better than I am with potions, someone to ensnare my mind, bewitch my senses, bottle my fame, and put a stopper in my own death that is eating me from the inside out," she said softly. "What would you want of me?"

He did not answer, just setting down his glass he walked to her, tucking a finger under her chin and lifting it, he lowered his head to hers and gently brushed his lips over hers. Feeling her arms slide over his shoulders, he leaned down further and wrapped his arms about her waist, lifting her into a searing kiss. His tongue plunging into the depths of her mouth as he pressed her full body against his own. She was so warm, so welcoming. Her tongue challenged his to a private duel that elicited a slight whimper of pleasure from her body.

Slowly he pulled away and looked deep into her eyes. She allowed him to see whatever he wished, but he did not push into her mind. Both of them had been jaded to the ways of the body, their minds were really all they had left. They would enjoy each other's company more than any elderly married couple would. Their fights would be fierce, but that would make it always a challenge.

"I do not know how to be a tender man," he said firmly. "I have never known…"

"Stop telling me what you are not," she said softly. "Tell me what you are."

"I am a git, a rude man, who adores his privacy, who does not share well, and does not take well to the company of many," he said firmly. "I will never like Harry Potter, I will never like the Weasleys and I will never like the trappings of the wealthy."

"Good," she said with a soft smile. "Take me home, Severus."

--

Lucius sat on the portico, watching the woman he had proposed to kissing the man she wanted. His little ploy had worked. Severus could not stand to watch his last opportunity at happiness get taken away again. James Potter had taken Lily away. Hermione Granger had longed for her Potions Teacher since long before Dumbledore died. Even Draco had commented on how hard she worked for her grades in his class.

"Father?" he heard from behind him, Lucius turned to face his now graduated son, with a smile. Draco looked up to the balcony then smirked and looked at his father.

"They will be good for each other," Draco said softly. "Though I think I shall wait until they have their children before I start having my own."

"Why?" Lucius said perplexed.

"A mind like what will come of the two of them is likely to run Hogwarts far better than any child of mine will. I don't want him or her to have competition," he laughed quietly.

"Hmm, had enough competing with the Granger girl did you?" Lucius said with a smirk.

"Father, I know you had no intentions on marrying her. Why did you propose?" he said rolling his eyes.

"Because boy, Severus never worked well unless he was under a little pressure. Severus would have just allowed her to go away and marry whomever she wanted unless it was I. He knew she would be absolutely miserable with me," he said softly. "Thusly, he would at least try to talk her out of it. Even if he made no move of his own, but Miss Granger is quite smitten with the dark, brooding man."

"He really is your friend," he said softly.

"He always has been," the elder Malfoy said quietly. "And he deserved better than anything I ever did for him."

"And now what of you Father?" Draco asked. "What will you expect of me?"

"I expect you to find happiness that she provided for you," he said firmly. "We owe everything to that Muggle Born and that Half Blood up there."

"Father, do not forget to include yourself in that equation. You made sure that Neville could deliver the final blow. My happiness will come in time but what if it is with a half blood, or muggle born?" he questioned.

"Even if," Lucius said. "Though you know my preference."

"We shall see Father," he said shaking his head. "Many of them died that day."

"Yes, many did," he said softly. "You will find your way Draco. After all, we are the two most sought after wizards right now. Hermione's rejection was more than expected. She told me tonight before the party she could not accept. I already knew she would. I just wanted to put the fire under Severus' arse."

"Well from the fact they just apparated together out of here, I would say you succeeded," he said with a smirk.

"And when do I not?" Lucius said in retort.

"Well, there was that incident with a certain book…"

"Oh do shut it Draco!"

"Yes Father," he said with a derisive snort.

--

Hermione Jane Granger was married to Severus Snape on the fifth of June in 2001. Hermione's work on the Cruciatus Curse Reversal Potion was published with Severus Snape's name on the testing portion of the potion. Cleared for use by Saint Mungo's in March of 2000 after numerous beneficial uses with patients on the fourth floor, including the parents of the war hero, Neville Longbottom.

Mr. And Mrs. Snape did not return to Hogwarts the following year. With expressed consent and blessing from the Ministry, they prepared a lab that was once the home of the Parkinson family. There they worked diligently on a restorative draught that would assist in the regenerating of tissues the same way Skele-Gro did on bones. It took them a full year of constant testing and research before the concoction won them the third Order of Merlin they had received. The first had been a First Class for their war efforts and sacrifices. The second had been for Hermione's curative potion for the curses. The potion they named "Narcissa's Restorative Potion" was the answer for many Pureblood families that had lost the ability to breed due to inbreeding. It restored the ability to breed and cleared many of the Pureblood lines to breed again. It also had the qualities of purifying Half Blood lines to read as purebloods in the Ministry's tests.

Mr. And Mrs. Snape refused the potion for themselves. Their refusal was the topic of many news articles and interviews, mainly done by Mrs. Snape as Mr. Snape was an extremely private man, according to Mrs. Snape.

On October 30th, 2003 Alexander Hadrian Snape was born. According to public document, he was born at home without assistance of mediwitches with her husband and Mrs. Molly Weasley. The only comment received by Mrs. Weasley was that he was a 6 pound 4 oz child, healthy in all ways and mother and son were resting comfortably.

--

"Severus," she said quietly to the grey haired man laying quietly upon the pillows. He had turned grey only a few years after the fall of Voldemort, but the years of service had taken their toll on the sagely wizard. His breathing was shallow, sweat lined his brow. He opened his eyes, and looked upon the woman sitting at his side, holding his hand.

"There is nothing to stop it this time, Hermione," he said quietly.

"I know, but I am not leaving you," she said quietly. "You spent your whole life alone. You won't do this alone."

She pushed a stray hair out of his face. He lifted his arm, and lifted the blankets. She crawled into the bed and curled her head onto his chest as she had done every night since they had left Malfoy Manor. Every night listening to the cadence of his heart thrumming against her ear, it brought her peace.

They slept, and somewhere in the night, Severus Snape slipped away. He escaped one last time from the clutches of the pain Voldemort had left him with. The restorative draught that Hermione had created had given his pain-wracked body a few more years, but in all, the damage that Voldemort had done in his extensive tortures had taken their toll on the Potion Master.

OBITUARY 

_Potion Master, Order of Merlin First, and twice over Third Class Wizard, and War Hero Severus Snape was laid to rest in the family plot at Prince Manor in the city of Cornwall on January 1st, 2004. His wife, Hermione Jane Snape and son, Alexander Hadrian Snape, survive him. Official cause of death is listed as massive organ failure due to severe trauma resulting in magical failure to regenerate. The damage, listed by the Department of Justice, is from years of abuse taken by the Mr. Snape during his years as a Death Eater in service of the Order of the Phoenix. For a man who was considered to be one of the least favored Professors ever of Hogwarts, the attendance for his funeral was staggering. Over three thousand witches and wizards made their way past the casket of the former professor. Each were given a small stone to place into the casket, each one a point that had been given by the Professor in his years as a teacher at Hogwarts. _

_In attendance were his wife, Hermione Jane Snape, Harry Potter, Neville Longbottom, Draco Malfoy, Lucius Malfoy, all Ministers of the Ministry, and several other friends that wished to remain anonymous._

_--_

The door to the office slammed open, an in a flurry of black robes she entered. Dark brown eyes, cold and empty and made you think of dark tunnels stared over the class. "You are here to learn, the exact art of Potions making," she began. She spoke barely a whisper, but they caught every word. Like her predacessor, she had the gift of keeping the class silent without effort.

"As there is little foolish wand waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with it's shining fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses… I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even put a stopper in death—if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach." More silence followed this little speech.

"Malfoy! What would happen if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?" she barked.

The child sat there, looking at her as if she were stupid.

"Professor, it makes a sleeping potion called the Draught of Living Death, Ma'am," he said with a dry snort.

"Very good Mr. Malfoy, 5 points to Ravenclaw," she said crossing her arms and looking over the class.

"Potter! Where would look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"

"Ma'am, I do not know?" the child said dumbfounded. Another child's hand in the back of the class shot into the air. She ignored it.

"Weasley! What is the difference between Monkshood and Wolfsbane?" she said tapping her wand expectantly on the desk.

"Umm… one is good for getting rid of werewolves?" the boy guessed rather futile.

"Did no one except Mr. Malfoy read anything on potions before attending my class!" she said angrily.

"Yeah… that's just because it's her son," Potter snorted to his red headed friend.

"Mr. Potter! Something you wish to share with the rest of the class?" she said loudly. "5 points from Slytherin for talking in class. Not a good way to start the year Mr. Potter! Now A bezoar…."

--

"Damn, Professor Malfoy is a royal git, isn't she?" James Potter said quietly to his friend David Weasley.

"Hey! Watch it, that's my mom your talking about. She only caught you because you didn't study anything. Man, how can your father be THE Harry Potter and not know anything about bezoars?" Damien rolled his eyes. "James really, you should know how my mom is about potions by now!"

"Yeah, but did she have to purposefully avoid calling on me?" Jarvis Lupin said quietly with his arms wrapped around six books that had nothing to do with the classes he was taking.

"Do you have to be such a Know It All?" Damien Malfoy said with a smirk.

"How did your dad take you getting sorted into Ravenclaw, Damien?" James said ribbing him with an elbow.

"About as well as your dad did with you getting into Slytherin," he snorted.

"Is it true your mom was married to Severus Snape?" David Weasley said with eyes wide.

"Ask him," Damien pointed as the Head Boy walked up.

"Are you guys lost?" the boy said with a smirk. His long black hair fell over his shoulders, he was very tall, at least a head above Professor Malfoy.

"Umm no, we're going to the library," he said.

"Damien, mum wants to know if you are coming to quarters for dinner tonight," he said smoothly. His black eyes seemed to be boring into the stormy grey of his apparent brother.

"No Alex, I am going to eat in the Great Hall tonight," he said with a nod. "Tell mum, maybe tomorrow."

"She'll be rather wounded, but I will let her know," he said with a look down his long aquiline nose before walking down into the dungeons.

"Is that your brother?" Weasley said, again wide eyed.

"Half brother," he said rolling his eyes. "Alexander Snape."

"He's tall, dark and seems to be pretty arrogant," Potter said under his breath to Malfoy.

"He's still my brother," he said. "Even if he only like a quarter blood, not even half," the stormy eyed boy rolled his eyes. "You would never know it though, he's got more power in that wand of his than mum and dad put together."

All parties shivered before heading into the library.


End file.
